When you think of Ellyse Perry, you think of excellence, the poise at the crease and the effortless swing of the bat. But away from the floodlights and roaring crowds, Perry’s world is stitched together by small, sentimental objects that keep her grounded through the constant churn of tours.
In her recent feature, “The Things Ellyse Perry Can’t Live Without on Tour,” the Australian all-rounder opened up about the little joys and quiet comforts that make life on the road feel a bit more like home.
Perry started off with something unexpected, a candle. Simple, yet deeply personal. For Perry, lighting it is more than ambience; it’s ritual. “Kinda just like having a softer light in my room at night, and often makes it smell a bit better, especially if I’ve got some dirty training kit hanging around in my room,” she added with a smile on.
She next revealed an aero presser to make filter coffee. She shared, “It’s kinda nice to just have a bit of a process in the morning; to wake up and open the blinds, have a look at some sunlight and make a coffee.
Perry never travels without a speaker, which turns impersonal hotel rooms into her own warm bubble. “I really enjoy just listening to music, or having it on in the background,” she shared with an easy smile. Whether it’s acoustic tunes before bed or upbeat tracks during gym sessions, music helps her set the rhythm of her day, a constant amidst constant movement.
But there’s also a touch of playfulness in her essentials, a harmonica. Yes, the same musical instrument she carries for pure fun. “I’m so bad at it,” she laughed, “it’s kind of become a distant thought in my mind, I’m going to need lessons. Until I can’t make a tour, I’m not carrying it, for the sake of my neighbours next door.”
For all her independence, Perry admits that connection matters most. She shared that the Australia women’s team is carrying this tour, a bilateral ODI series in India and the ongoing World Cup, is “a photo of people from back home, loved ones or friends, or families, which is always nice next to your bed or somewhere in the line of sight in your room just to see familiar faces that mean a lot to you.”
She concluded on a fun note, “hopefully that was interesting, I found it very boring, but you might have enjoyed it.” These essentials, the candle, aero presser, speaker, harmonica, and family photo, reveal a side of Ellyse Perry that statistics and records can’t capture. They speak of balance, belonging, and gratitude.
Behind every powerful performance is a woman who carries warmth, laughter, and memory in her suitcase, proving that even on the longest tours, home isn’t a place. It’s a feeling.
(Inputs sourced from Ellyse Perry feature on cricket.com.au)
Loves all things female cricket