Ashleigh Gardner, the 28-year-old Australian all-rounder, is emerging as a prime candidate for national captaincy as her leadership credentials flourish across global T20 leagues. With stints captaining Sydney Sixers in Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), and Trent Rockets in The Hundred, Gardner has demonstrated tactical acumen and player empowerment.
Her recent experiences, coupled with on-field prowess, position her as a natural successor to Alyssa Healy, whose injury concerns and World Cup farewell signal an impending transition. Gardner’s franchise leadership journey underscores her growing stature. In WBBL 11, she guided Sydney Sixers to second on the points table with 13 points from 10 games, six wins, three losses, and one washout, marking their first finals in three years.
Despite an 11-run Challenger defeat to Sophie Devine’s Perth Scorchers at North Sydney Oval on December 11, 2025, Gardner viewed the campaign positively. “To be honest, it was a little bit inconsistent,” she told cricket.com.au. “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.”
Her stats as Sixers skipper reflect all-round impact: 215 runs at a strike rate of 125 and average of 21.5 in 10 innings, including two half-centuries; plus 21 wickets at an average of 14.61 and economy of 7.48 in 11 innings, featuring a four-wicket haul and a five-wicket haul.
Gardner’s leadership portfolio spans continents. Leading Gujarat Giants in the WPL, she played nine games, winning four, while scoring 243 runs at a strike rate of 164.18 and an average of 30.37, including three half-centuries, and taking eight wickets at 27.12 average and 8.03 economy. She took over from teammate Beth Mooney, steering them to their first playoffs.
Mid-year in the UK’s Hundred, Gardner replaced Natalie Sciver-Brunt at Trent Rockets as skipper, securing a top four finish in eight games with four wins. She amassed 187 runs at 143.84 strike rate and 23.37 average, including a half-century, and snared eight wickets at 20.75 average and 7.66 economy.
Now, she captains every franchise she plays for, including national captains like Alyssa Healy (WBBL) and Sciver-Brunt (Hundred). Heading to India for WPL 2026, Gardner’s repertoire expands further. The upcoming 4th edition of the WPL will be played from 9th January to 5th February 2026. The first phase of the tournament will be played at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, and the 2nd and final phase of the tournament will be played at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.
Gardner embraces Australian captaincy prospects without ambition overshadowing humility. “Yeah, I guess so,” she replied when asked if her exposure strengthens her case as Healy’s successor. “If I got asked to do it, great.” Yet, she highlights competitors like vice-captain Tahlia McGrath, who has deputised amid Healy’s absences, and young star Phoebe Litchfield.
Leadership, for Gardner, transcends titles. “You can lead without actually having the ‘c’ next to your name,” she emphasised, citing her role in Australia’s 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.”
Since her 2017 debut, Gardner has evolved from power-hitter to balanced all-rounder, refining off-spin for team utility. High-pressure maturity defines her growth: “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.”
Captaincy adds mental load, but stints sharpen her focus. “(It’s about) giving those players belief that whatever they’re doing out on the field is good enough,” she learned from WBBL. “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.”
Whether donning the Baggy Green ‘c’ or not, Gardner prioritises contribution. “If that opportunity ever came about, absolutely,” she affirmed. “But it’s certainly not something that I’ve ever dreamt of doing. I’m just really fortunate to be playing for Australia.”
(Quotes sourced from cricket.com.au)
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