After a decade in the green and gold, Australia captain Meg Lanning is at ease with her cricket and looking ahead to her team's next big challenge
Serious Sally no more: Lanning sees the lighter side of life
Meg Lanning has declared she is ‘Serious Sally’ no more, saying learning to be comfortable with herself and with her game has been her biggest evolution through a decade of international cricket.
Lanning chalked up 10 years since her Australian debut late last month, a period that saw her become Australia’s youngest captain aged 21, win five World Cups and score more runs than any other woman across that period.
While conceding the milestone makes her feel old, the 28-year-old also believes she has never felt more at ease, be it on the field or off it.
"I’ve just got a really good understanding of who I am and what sort of cricketer I am as well and just being totally fine with that," Lanning told The Scoop podcast this week.
"Everyone is different in their own way.
"Early in your career you’re going to try and please everyone and do things a certain way and you get some really good advice, but it can also make it a little bit more difficult.
"I think over time I’ve been able to pick up things from different people and found people I really trust, and then I’ve just become more comfortable with who I am and what sort of cricketer I want to be."
At one point dubbed ‘Serious Sally’ by teammates, for her ultra-competitive nature and laser-like focus on the task at hand, Lanning concedes she may have taken the game too seriously at times.
The competitive streak remains, but the Australia skipper is also keen to show off her lighter side.
"The last couple of years I’ve really tried to enjoy cricket a lot more," Lanning explained.
"You start off your career and you’re pretty go with the flow, and then I reckon in the middle part of the 10 years I got a little too serious and down the line.
"I reckon the last couple I’ve softened a little bit.
"I don’t know what anyone else thinks, but I’ve just tried to enjoy it and smile - it’s pretty good what we get to do. (Serious Sally) doesn’t exist anymore."
Video Player is loading.
While Lanning and her Australia teammates are currently in limbo, waiting to learn when they will next take the international stage, the Australia captain is optimistic a proposed trip across the Tasman to meet New Zealand will go ahead in the next couple of months.
"I know Cricket Australia are doing everything they can to try and get us some cricket, because it’s important that we get to keep playing," Lanning said.
"With the World Cup in New Zealand in a year’s time, if we get to go and play there that’ll be great practice in their conditions."
An ODI series against India scheduled for later this month has been postponed until the 2021-22 season, where it will serve as crucial match practice ahead of the 2022 ODI World Cup.
Australia are also due to play a home Ashes next summer, meaning they are set to play arguably their two toughest challengers for the World Cup trophy in the months leading into the ICC tournament.
"It’ll be a great challenge for us," Lanning said.
"We saw in the tri-series (featuring England and India) leading into last year’s T20 World Cup, it was good competitive cricket.
"We’re all looking forward to it.
"There might be a few quieter months (during the 2021 winter) but 2022 will be a huge year for the team so we’re looking forward to that."