Gardner Backs Australia as World’s Best Ahead of Blockbuster India Series

Ashleigh Gardner has played down concerns over Australia’s recent World Cup setbacks, insisting the team remains the best in the world and does not require a major overhaul ahead of a crucial run of international series.

Australia, who dominated women’s cricket by winning every T20 and ODI World Cup between 2018 and 2023, are currently without either trophy following semi-final exits in both events over the past 15 months. Despite those disappointments, Gardner believes the foundations of the team remain strong.

Australia will return to action in 50 days’ time with a high-profile multi-format home series against ODI World Cup champions India at the SCG and other venues in February and March. That series will be followed by another multi-format tour of the West Indies, before the team turns its attention to the T20 World Cup in England in June — their first opportunity to reclaim a major global title.

The shock semi-final loss to South Africa at the 2024 T20 World Cup prompted Australia to reassess their batting approach, with a greater emphasis on attacking intent. The changes paid immediate dividends, as Australia produced a historic Ashes clean sweep at home, winning all three T20Is, all three ODIs and the one-off Test against England at the MCG.

However, this year’s ODI World Cup semi-final defeat to India highlighted different issues. Australia were undone largely by lapses in discipline, with several dropped catches proving costly at a critical stage of the match.

A full-squad review of that exit is yet to take place and is expected when the team regathers in February. Gardner indicated the focus would be on handling pressure moments better, rather than altering Australia’s overall game plan.

“I think there’s not going to be too many dramatic changes,” Gardner told AAP. “I don’t think there necessarily needs to be. It’s more those small moments that I don’t think we won and kind of letting the game go in ebbs and flows.

“That’s going to happen at times, but making sure that if those things do arise, we have the tools and capabilities to recognise it and get out of that.”

Gardner is set to play a central role in Australia’s push to reclaim silverware and looms as a future vice-captain or captain when Alyssa Healy eventually steps down during the next four-year cycle.

Despite their World Cup semi-final exits, Australia won every group-stage match at both the T20 and ODI tournaments and remain comfortably top of the ICC rankings across formats.

For Gardner, the focus is already firmly on June and the opportunity to lift another trophy.

“The last couple of World Cups have been frustrating because of the way that they’ve ended,” she said. “But I can sit here comfortably and say that I still believe that we’re the best team. It’s just making sure that we’re showing that in those moments where it really matters.

“I’m certainly thinking about June next year. It seems like a long time away, but it realistically isn’t, and it’ll come around very quickly.”