Ashleigh Gardner admits the news stung. Having been interviewed to replace the retired Alyssa Healy, the all-rounder was widely tipped to take over. Instead, selectors went for left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux, whose tactical reputation and calmer public persona evidently appealed. Gardner and Tahlia McGrath will act as joint vice-captains, though how that actually works is, for the moment, “still being nutted out”, as one member of the touring party put it.
“You kind of have this defence mechanism where if you don’t get it you don’t want to be so disappointed that you can’t move on,” Gardner said, speaking ahead of the three-match series in India. “So, for me, it was like making sure that if I got it, amazing. If I didn’t, that’s okay. Obviously when I got the news that I didn’t get it, there was certainly disappointment there of course.”
The 28-year-old has grown into a senior figure on the field – she captains Sydney Sixers in the WBBL and led Gujarat Giants in the WPL – and off it, particularly around First Nations advocacy. That wider influence probably explains why she felt the decision so sharply. “It’s because I care and I care about this team and you kind of get caught up in ‘how can I influence this team in Ashleigh’s way’. But then to find out that Soph got it, I was just so excited for her.”
Molineux, 27, has indeed impressed teammates with thoughtful leadership at Victoria and Melbourne Renegades, yet her body has not always kept pace. A stress fracture in 2024, followed by ankle niggles, meant Australia’s brains-trust had to weigh potential rest days into the captaincy plan. Hence the dual deputies. One source hinted McGrath might handle on-field calls if Molineux sits out a match, but nothing is locked in.
With the next T20 World Cup only eight months away, stability matters. Australia, so dominant for a decade, left the recent 50-over World Cup without a trophy after India chased 339 in a pulsing semi-final. “I guess across the last 18 months we’ve lost about two games of cricket and they’ve both been ones that matter,” Gardner reflected, half-smiling, half-grimacing.
Her ambition, though, remains. “If they ever saw me to be in that position, absolutely,” she said of another tilt at the top job. “I love playing in this team. I love the people within this group. I think for me it’s making sure that I’ve got the outlook of: if there’s a ‘C’ next to your name, great. But you can still lead in a lot of other ways.”
For the moment, Gardner intends to channel that outlook into runs, wickets and, perhaps just as importantly, daily conversations. The vice-captaincy gives her license to front younger players and challenge tactical ideas in team meetings. Coaches value the alternative view; team-mates appreciate plain speaking.
Australia’s camp gathered in Mumbai only 48 hours ago, players arriving from the WBBL, the WPL and, in a couple of cases, the WNCL. Fitness staff will monitor workloads closely – another quiet reason for spreading responsibility around. A different voice can be useful too. Molineux will lean on that, Gardner will provide it, and McGrath, still chasing consistency with the bat, gets another chance to prove her own leadership worth.
There is, then, no shortage of motivation. Gardner may not have the captaincy now, but the door is hardly shut. A strong tour of India, with bat, ball and voice, keeps her right in the conversation – exactly where she intends to stay.
