Gardner backs Australia to bounce back despite recent World Cup exits
Ashleigh Gardner has no doubt that Australia remain the benchmark in women’s cricket — even if recent results suggest otherwise.
Speaking to cricket.com.au, the star all-rounder dismissed any notion that the team’s semifinal exits at both the 2024 ODI and T20 World Cups have dented their status.
“We’ve certainly been put under pressure recently. But I can still sit here confidently saying that we’re the best team in the world,” she said.
While Australia are no longer the reigning champions in either white-ball format for the first time in over seven years, Gardner believes their record speaks for itself — and the team is well prepared to reclaim its crown when India arrive for a multi-format tour in February.
India challenge looms large, but home advantage favours Australia
India will visit as newly-crowned ODI world champions, fresh off a strong World Cup campaign that included a semifinal victory over Australia. Gardner acknowledged the momentum they bring, saying, “India’s going to come across with a lot of confidence, as they should. They’ve obviously played some really good cricket recently.”
She noted that the Indian team had posed significant challenges even before the World Cup. “They challenged us in the ODI series before the World Cup and then had the upper hand in that semi-final,” she said.
However, the conditions could prove decisive. With the entire series — comprising three T20Is, three ODIs, and a Test — being played in Australia, Gardner expects familiarity to give her team an edge.
“They’re also coming over to our conditions, which we know better than them. If they do challenge us, we know what to do in those moments as well,” she said.
Semifinal losses don’t reflect the full picture, says Gardner
Despite back-to-back tournament exits in 2024, Gardner emphasized that Australia’s overall form over the past year remains elite.
“Over the last 12 to 18 months, we’ve only lost about two games, and I think the two games that we lost were both in semi-finals,” she said, using the numbers to underline the team’s sustained excellence.
“It kind of shows the consistency of the group. It’s just about putting those pieces together to hopefully win those trophies,” she added.
While those semifinal defeats exposed areas to work on, Gardner believes they also serve as valuable lessons — especially under the pressure of knockout cricket.
Pressure moments and mental readiness now in focus
For Gardner, the difference in major tournaments hasn’t been skill — it’s been the inability to win defining moments.
“Just winning those small moments in those high-pressure situations, which, ultimately in a World Cup, when you’re playing in finals cricket, you need to be able to do. And for us, we weren’t able to do that,” she said.
She also reflected on how pressure can affect decision-making at critical junctures. “Sometimes when you’re under pressure, maybe you make the wrong decision,” she noted.
That’s why Australia’s focus heading into 2025 is just as much about mental preparation as it is about tactics or skills.
“It’s making sure that we know the mental side of our game as well is in the best place that it can be, because ultimately that’s going to help you make the right decision on the field,” Gardner said.
Redemption arc begins on home soil
The upcoming home series against India is more than just another bilateral assignment — it’s a chance for Australia to reset their dominance. With proven depth, unmatched consistency, and the hunger to reclaim top honours, Gardner and her teammates believe they’re still the team to beat.
Now, they have the platform to prove it.
