Australia women’s cricket captain Meg Lanning is taking a break from cricket, with no timetable for her return. The announcement comes days after Lanning led his national team to gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
“After a busy couple of years, I’ve made the decision to take a step back to allow myself time to focus on myself,” Lanning, 30, said in a Cricket Australia statement. “I am grateful for the support of CA and my teammates and ask that my privacy be respected during this time.”
Lanning will miss the next edition of The Hundred in England, where he was due to represent the Trent Rockets, but the Australian team will not play again until December when they tour India for a Twenty20. CA said Lanning would take an indefinite leave of absence effective immediately.
CA’s head of performance, women’s cricket, Shawn Flegler, said: “We are proud of Meg for recognizing that she needs a break and we will continue to support her during this time. She has been an incredible contributor to Australian cricket during last decade, achieving remarkable feats both individually and as part of the team, and has been a brilliant role model for young children.
“The welfare of our players is always our number one priority, and we will continue to work with Meg to make sure she gets the support and space she needs.”
Lanning has been a mainstay of the national team since his debut in 2010 and took over as captain in 2014. He has been in two World Cup winning teams (2013 and 2022) and four successful World T20 teams 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2020).
The Spin – Sign up and receive our weekly cricket email.
Lanning’s decision comes five days after former national rugby union captain Michael Hooper began an indefinite hiatus for personal reasons, returning home from the Wallabies’ trip to Argentina.
Other Australian players who have stepped away for personal reasons in recent times have included Sophie Molineux and Amanda-Jade Wellington and, in the men’s game, Glenn Maxwell, Will Pucovski and Nic Maddinson.