Heather Knight has left her role as England captain after nine years as skipper as the fallout from a disastrous Women’s Ashes tour continues.
Head coach Jon Lewis departed earlier this week, paying the price for a 16-0 whitewash Down Under, and Knight has also relinquished her duties in a total leadership reset.
The batter will remain available for selection having led the side 199 times since her appointment in 2016. The 34-year-old led England to World Cup triumph on home soil in 2017, but have since failed to win another major tournament or win back the Ashes from a dominant Australia.
Knight’s leadership came under further scrutiny this winter with England’s fitness and preparation questioned both during the 16-0 defeat and the Women’s T20 World Cup.
And the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will now seek a new captain and coach to lead a side in need of rebuilding.
“Captaining my country for the last nine years has been the biggest honour of my life and I will look back on my tenure with an enormous sense of pride,” Knight said. “I have loved the challenge of leading the team, but all good things come to an end and it’s time for me to go back into the ranks and focus on being the best batter and teammate that I can be for the team.
“Winning the ICC Women’s World Cup on home turf at Lord’s in 2017 will always be a huge highlight, but being a part of the huge steps forward made in the women’s game off the pitch brings me just as much pride.
“I have loved being England captain, it's been the most rewarding period of my career, but for now I’m excited to focus on my batting and supporting the team and the new captain in the best way I can.”
Knight succeeded Charlotte Edwards, among the leading contenders to be appointed head coach after the departure of Lewis, in 2016 and has scored more than 7,000 international runs. She was the first England batter to score a hundred in Test, ODIs and T20I cricket.
Options to replace her include all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt, who suggested towards the end of the Ashes that she may be be willing to step up from her vice-captaincy role if required.
Wicketkeeper Amy Jones has also captained England in Knight’s stead, while off-spinner Charlie Dean has leadership experience in domestic cricket and The Hundred.
England begin their international summer against the West Indies in Canterbury on 21 May.
