| Dates: 22 June-18 July |
| Coverage: Live text commentary and in-play video clips on the BBC Sport website & app, plus BBC Test Match Special on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra. Highlights of the Test (22-26 June), second and third T20 (5/8 July) and the three ODIs (12/16/18 July) on BBC iPlayer, with the first T20 on 1 July live on BBC Two and iPlayer. |
The upcoming Ashes will be “worse off” without Australia captain Meg Lanning, says England head coach Jon Lewis.
The seven-time World Cup winner took a break from cricket for her mental health in 2022, but returned earlier this year and led her side to T20 World Cup glory in February.
“It is a little bit sad that she isn’t coming to play in the Ashes,” said Lewis.
“We want to beat the best team possible out there, but we just hope she is well enough to come back and play some cricket for Australia at some point.
“We’d like to wish Meg all the best and we hope she is OK.”
Lewis was appointed England coach in November 2022 but is yet to face Australia as the sides were in different groups for the T20 World Cup, where England lost in the semi-final.
He also said that the group had not directly spoken about Lanning’s absence, but he had addressed it with England skipper Heather Knight.
“I’ve only had fleeting moments with Meg, but I watched her very closely at the WPL [Women’s Premier League in India] and I was really impressed with how she led Delhi Capitals and I was really impressed with how she led at the World Cup,” Lewis added.
“She is obviously a really impressive leader. The Ashes series will be worse off for one of its best players not playing in it.”
Lanning missed the drawn 2017-18 Ashes in Australia with a shoulder injury, but has since led her side to comprehensive victories in the two series that followed in 2019 and 2021-22.
The multi-format Ashes series starts with a five-day Test match at Trent Bridge starting on 22 June, followed by three one-day internationals and three T20s.
