Heather Knight is embracing her new role “as one of the girls” following her nine-year reign as England’s captain, admitting she’s still adjusting to being just a player post-captaincy. “A lot has changed,” Knight explained, having stepped down over six weeks ago after England’s tough 16-0 Ashes loss.
Knight shared, “I’ve been reflecting on a very enjoyable nine years. I loved it, but I’m really excited about what’s next. I now have a bit more time and I’m looking forward to just being one of the girls again.”
She acknowledged the natural divide between a captain and their team due to decision-making responsibilities. “There are parts of captaincy I’ll miss, and parts I won’t,” she admitted. “Captaining brought out the best in me. Now, the challenge is finding that same drive as a player.”
Nat Sciver-Brunt has taken over as captain and plans to turn to Knight for advice, stating, “I’m signing her up for a few coffees on tour to discuss the captaincy.” Sciver-Brunt, recently returning from maternity leave, has previously been Knight’s vice-captain, and they share a strong working relationship.
Knight only had brief interactions with Sciver-Brunt amid congratulatory messages and expressed her happiness for the new captain. “I told her to do it her way,” Knight remarked, promising her support in any needed capacity.
Transitioning away from England captaincy, Knight has been actively playing. In the Women’s Big Bash League, she played under Phoebe Litchfield for Sydney Thunder. Now back with Somerset in the Metro Bank One Day Cup, she’s performing well, scoring 244 runs at an average of 40.66 and even taking up bowling again, claiming four wickets.
As Knight moves forward, she’s enjoying the freedom to focus on her game, looking forward to supporting Sciver-Brunt and the team as they prepare for challenges ahead.
