Gardner open to top job as leadership repertoire grows

Ashleigh Gardner says she would be ready to take up the Australian captaincy if given the opportunity, even though it's not a role she has ever dreamt of holding. 

The past 12 months has seen Gardner make major advances in her leadership experience, with the allrounder taking over charge of sides in three different T20 leagues around the world. She will start the new year with a flight to India where she will again lead the Gujarat Giants in the Women's Premier League (WPL).

Gardner had taken over the captaincy at the franchise from Australian teammate Beth Mooney last season and guided them to their first-ever playoffs finish. Another leadership opportunity came mid-year in the UK, when England captain Natalie Sciver-Brunt stepped back for Gardner to take charge of Trent Rockets in the Hundred, who had a top four finish in the competition.

The experience gave her the confidence to ask for the job at the Sydney Sixers, knowing she was earmarked to take it at some point anyway, and she took over that baton from Ellyse Perry for WBBL|11.

Even though the Sixers finished second on the table to make their first finals in three years – before losing to Perth Scorchers in the Challenger – Gardner termed the season a mixed bag, signalling a hunger to go one better.

"To be honest, it was a little bit inconsistent," Gardner told cricket.com.au this week.

"Obviously, we were really fortunate to be in the finals, (but) wasn't to be this year.

"But I think what we're building is really exciting."

The 28-year-old is, however, pleased with what she got out the campaign as an opportunity to grow as a leader.

"(It's about) giving those players belief that whatever they're doing out on the field is good enough," Gardner said of her learnings from the season.

"It's not always going to go the way that they would have planned. But we're not robots, so it's not always going to be perfect.

"So making sure that they step up in those moments and they really want the ball in those high-pressure situations, that's all I can ask as a captain.

"And just make sure that people enjoy the moment as well, because the Big Bash goes so quickly."

Gardner now leads every franchise side she plays for. More reflective of how highly her leadership potential is rated globally perhaps is the fact that two current national captains play under her in their respective countries' leagues – Alyssa Healy in the WBBL and Sciver-Brunt at The Hundred.

So, will her growing exposure in the role make a strong case for her when the Australian selectors go on a hunt for Healy's successor, which, with the 35-year-old skipper managing multiple injuries over the past year and having played her last 50-over World Cup, can reasonably be expected to be not too far into the future?

"Yeah, I guess so," replies Gardner. "If I got asked to do it, great."

But she is quick to add that there are many candidates in the team who will make a good captain.

While names like 22-year-old Phoebe Litchfield's have been thrown around by former players and pundits, current vice-captain Tahlia McGrath will be another contender for the job.

McGrath has had to step in as captain in Healy's absence on several occasions over the past 14 months, while Gardner served as her officially designated deputy in March's T20 series in New Zealand.

However, Gardner believes an official designation is not required to be a leader in this Australian side, a sentiment that echoes McGrath's repeated public acknowledgement of the support she receives from her and Perry when carrying out captaincy duties.

"You can lead without actually having the 'c' next to your name," Gardner said.

"That's something that I've really tried to do over the last little period, especially within the spin group.

"(I have) really tried to lead that pack. I've been there the longest, so (I'm) making sure that I'm sharing knowledge where I can, but also just bouncing ideas off each other.

"I think cricket's such an individual sport within a team environment. It's so important to be able to utilise those around you."

The importance of collaboration is also what the allrounder has learnt through her work with the Ashleigh Gardner Foundation (AGF), which was recognised with Community Impact Award at last summer's Australian Cricket Awards.

The proud Muruwari woman had used the break from cricket and travelling during the Covid lockdowns to start the foundation with the aim to increase school attendance numbers for Indigenous kids in underprivileged areas.

"(I have realised) how reliant you can be on other people, (by) making sure that you've got the right people in your corner," she said of her experience of managing AGF's operations.

"The support network has certainly helped in terms of my leadership.

"Really filtering out what leadership means to me and how that looks on the field – that's certainly come to fruition through the foundation."

Since making her international debut as a 19-year-old in 2017, Gardner's role in the Australian side has constantly evolved. From being seen as a power-hitter who can bowl a few overs, the refinements to her off-spin have turned her into a genuine allrounder providing a crucial balance to the team.

But while there has been no shortage of milestone innings and big-wicket spells in the recent years, Gardner says understanding and backing herself to perform when and how the team needs her to in high-pressure situations is where she has matured the most in these nine years.

"You hope that the successes come from that, individually being able to score runs and take wickets for your team, but ultimately, you want to be a good team person," she said.

"I've really tried to grow in that space off field, knowing that it's going to have a really big impact on the field as well."

A leadership role certainly adds to the mental workload of the allrounder whose contributions with bat and ball are equally vital to the team's success.

But Gardner feels her various captaincy stints have helped her develop the instinct to "worry about 10 other people".

Whether the chance to officially lead Australia comes her way or not, she is happy to be using her experience to guide the team forward as she transitions into one of its senior members.

"If that opportunity ever came about, absolutely," Gardner said. "But it's certainly not something that I've ever dreamt of doing."

"I'm just really fortunate to be playing for Australia, full stop."