Meg Lanning’s return has not just excited cricket fans but has also elicited emotions from her teammates as well who admire and revere their skipper. Perhaps it was the nature of her announcement to come back to mainstream cricket that brought out the reaction, Jess Jonassen in specific was emotional.
She has called this return of Lanning “the second coming” and her inclusion to the Australian squad for the Pakistan series and the elusive World Cup campaign where the Southern Stars will look to achieve a “threepeat” (winning the T20 World Cup a third consecutive time having won in 2018 and 2020) has not gone unnoticed.
Meg Lanning had taken a break earlier in 2022 after guiding Australia to a Commonwealth Games gold medal citing time needed away from the game to focus on her well-being. Australia in her absence continued playing well, most notably versus India where they clinched the five-match T20I series 4-1. Jess Jonassen too was ruled out of the series with injury but her return has coincided with Meg Lanning and the emotion is certainly not lost on her.
Jonassen said, “I am absolutely pumped. When we were told a few weeks ago that Meg was coming back I must admit I got a little bit teary. She did a little video message, and true to Meg she was a bit awkward not knowing the best way to do it, but I couldn’t have been happier for that news.”
Jess Jonassen got emotional hearing the news of Meg Lanning’s comeback through a video message 🥹#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/NGocEOUAGm
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) January 10, 2023
She added that knowing the unpredictable Meg Lanning, there was a sense of fear when she started watching the video message as she shared the content of the message where Meg Lanning said, “I am not sure the right way to do this…” and Jonassen was concerned which way the message would go and even thought retirement could be possibly on cards but as the message progressed Lanning spoke about her love for the game, how she loves to be a part of the Australian Women’s Cricket Team and Jonassen shared her vulnerability as she was teary-eyed and had a smile on her face throughout. Empathizing with Meg Lanning and why she took a step back from the game, Jonassen added, “I know what it is like at different points to feel a bit low but for somebody in her role within our team, in society and as the leader of such a successful team there is a weight on the shoulders.”
Jonassen immediately sent a text to Lanning expressing her happiness at her comeback and what stood out for her was how Lanning looked happy and most importantly the difference she saw in her as a human knowing she was coming back to Cricket was priceless. She believes that this comeback for Lanning is going to be very successful, taking Australian cricket to greater heights based on how successful she has been so far and before the break as well. She also remarked on how Lanning had worked in a Cafe for a different hands-on type experience that has shaped her to be who she is now and the fact that she is coming back to the Australian set-up is a big win is what Jonassen signed off with.
I am a first year postgraduate student pursuing a MA in Media and Communication Studies at Christ University, Bengaluru. I am a podcaster, blogger and an avid cricket fan. When not glued to cricket matches, you can find me submerged in books and thinking about cricket all the time.
