Dean ‘wouldn’t say no’ to England captaincy

Off-spinner Charlie Dean describes it as “one of the biggest compliments you can get” that being considered a potential England captain.

After Heather Knight was fired last week, Dean, 24, is in the running for the England women’s captaincy position.

In the wake of Australia’s historic 16-0 clean sweep of the Women’s Ashes earlier this year, Jon Lewis was fired as head coach.

Former England internationals Charlotte Edwards and Alex Hartley both supported the appointment of Dean as captain.

Dean told BBC Sport, “I’ve never had any real conversations about it.”

I’m “growing into leadership,” I’d say no, but I’m not sure if this is the right time to do it.

As she prepares for her first season with Somerset as a member of the new women’s domestic system, which sees eight counties aligned with the men’s first-class teams, Dean, who made her England debut in 2021, said she is trying to avoid”outside noise” regarding the captaincy.

She continued, “she is anticipating the beginning of a new era,” despite the brutal month in Australia.

The Australian team’s attitude and reputation were questioned, and the disappointment transcended England’s results for that reason alone.

The team’s repeated claims that it was on the verge of defeating Australia were met with criticism from Knight and Lewis, Lewis receiving headlines for his claims that the Australian climate contributed to their superior athleticism, and former teammate Hartley, the best bowler in the world, refused to speak in an interview.

The players will gain from the more interest the series received, Dean said, and Dean acknowledged the criticism.

There were some pitfalls out there, she said, but we do take pride in making sure we always go about things the right way.

We have definitely learned a lot about how to present ourselves. I don’t doubt that we all give absolutely nothing when we play, so it is disappointing that others don’t think that way.

Knight will join Dean at Somerset, where England will face West Indies and India in a summer white-ball series, followed by the 50-over World Cup in India at the end of August. He is anticipated to return to the batting ranks for England.

She argued that the recent team failures should not define Knight’s legacy.

Heather fought so hard for what we have now in the women’s game, according to Dean.

“Maybe we let her down because of our previous performances, but I have a lot of respect for her and appreciate her.” She’ll still be here, I’m very happy to see.

For the first time since moving to Somerset, Dean has played for Hampshire and Southern Vipers away from Edwards, who she describes as “one of the best coaches in the country.”

There is a reason why her name is mentioned so frequently, according to Dean, because of how she inspires greatness and interacts with her players.

A date for Lewis’ replacement’s appointment has not been confirmed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Additionally, it does not provide any information about the hiring process for the new head coach, including whether or not the Rooney Rule will be used.

The ECB committed to using the Rooney Rule for all head coach positions when hiring in 2022.