Tash Farrant hailed Heather Knight as “one of the greats” after the former England captain announced her retirement from international cricket.
Knight, 35, will be out of England alongside Tammy Beaumont at the end of the first women’s Test against India at Lord’s this week.
Making her debut in 2010, Knight went on to win 320 caps for England while she captained the team from 2016 to 2025, most notably leading the team to a memorable victory on home soil in the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Heather Knight explained her decision to retire from international cricket, saying the time felt right and shared a special moment in the dressing room announcing the news yesterday.
“It’s a giant moment, isn’t it? She’s been one of the greats to play for England,” said former team-mate Farrant. Sky Sports Cricket.
“She has been so integral to England cricket and women’s cricket in general over the past 16 years that her career has spanned quite a bit.
“She wanted to go out on her own terms. Not many people are able to do that, and she also loves Test match cricket, so to be able to play a Test match at Lord’s – the first – I’m not surprised by the decision.”
“England will truly miss him.”
The ‘gritty’, ‘hardy’ knight loved hard times.
Farrant added: “I think it will be the 2017 World Cup title here [at Lord’s], which will always be remembered.
“And indeed, she came in at a difficult time. It is not an especially straightforward task to follow Charlotte Edwards as England captain. She has to mobilise this team quickly and win the World Cup.
Heather Knight led England to victory in the 2017 50-over World Cup
“One thing I always admired about her is that she was so charming on the pitch, such a tough cricketer.
“She loved those tough times and felt that’s what made her a better cricketer.”
Knight is currently the third highest run-scorer in England in T20I and ODI cricket, while she was also the first English player to score centuries in all three formats.
But Farrant also stressed that it was Knight’s often ‘overlooked’ work off the field that she will remember most.
“Playing under her, she was such a good leader – more so than for the things she did off the field,” Farrant added.
“She was one of, if not the, hardest worker in training with her fitness.
“As a young player, you can succeed in international cricket, can’t you? And you can lose pieces of your life – your friends, your family – because you’re so immersed in it.
“I always admired Heather because she always had such a beautiful balance between working hard – making sure you’ve done everything, so you’re ready to be on the pitch – and also other things when we went on tour, making sure that as a captain we got to go and immerse ourselves in the culture of the new country we were in.
“Those are the memories I’ll have of him. Not just on the pitch, but the things he did off the pitch. Things that sometimes go unnoticed.”
Heather Knight was the first English player to score a century in all three formats.
‘Good time for night retirement.’
Fellow former England international Ebony Rainford-Brint also hailed Knight as “brilliant” but believes he should retire now.
“My first thought was to have a good time, to be honest,” Rainford-Brent said. “I think it’s critical to go high.
“He has done a lot for the game. He has captained us here to win the World Cup final at Lord’s.
‘He’ll be hoping they can win on home soil again [in the T20 World Cup], but she got to the final, and I think she’s just waiting, thinking, “I’ve got a lot to leave and I’ve given it my all.”‘
“Get out while your name is still at its peak. There’s nothing worse than players who hang on too long.
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