Charlotte Edwards has been appointed head coach of the England women’s cricket team.
The former England captain will replace Jon Lewis, who was sacked in the wake of the 16-0 Ashes thrashing in Australia over the winter as the tourists lost all seven games on a chastening tour.
Edwards led England to the 2009 50-over World Cup and T20 World Cup titles, while she also won three Ashes series outright in an 11-year spell as captain between 2005 and 2016.
The 45-year-old has since prospered as a coach, winning the Women’s Premier League with Mumbai Indians in 2023 and 2025 and The Hundred with Southern Brave two years ago.
Edwards guided the now-defunct Southern Vipers to three Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy titles and two in the Charlotte Edwards Cup, with the latter a T20 tournament named after her following a stellar playing career in which she scored over 10,000 international runs, including 5,992 across 191 ODIs.
Edwards said: “I am so delighted to once again be part of the leadership of the England Women’s cricket team, and I cannot wait to take this team forward and drive us to success.
“It means the world to me to have the three lions on my chest once again. Leading England as captain was my life for 10 years and I will forever be passionate about this team and our legacy. We have such a talented group of players, and I am excited about working with them and improving them both as individuals and as a team.
“We have the immediate challenge of two home summer series, and then it’s straight into the ICC Women’s World Cup in India this autumn, with a home ICC Women’s T20 World Cup next summer. There’s also the mouth-watering prospect of the first ever Olympics for women’s cricket in LA 2028. I’m relishing the prospect of winning trophies and taking this team forward.”
Edwards’ coaching achievements include winning The Hundred with Southern Brave
ECB Deputy CEO and Managing Director of England Women’s Cricket, Clare Connor, said: “When we drew up the criteria for the job it became apparent very quickly that Charlotte was the outstanding candidate.
“She has the experience, passion and expertise to lead this team to success. The results she has achieved as a Head Coach in multiple environments, since retiring as one of the greatest ever England players, is testament to her relentless drive and the standards she sets for those around her.
“She is a proven winner; she has won repeatedly as a player and now as a coach. She possesses a deep knowledge of the game, both in England and across the world, and she understands the importance of creating an environment that is both challenging and supportive.
“We are delighted to be able to appoint her as Head Coach of the England Women’s team and we’re hugely excited for what’s to come.”
England also need a new captain with Heather Knight – who succeeded Edwards as skipper in 2016 and went on to win the 50-over World Cup on home soil a year later – removed from the job following the Ashes hammering.
Potential replacements include Knight’s vice-captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, off-spinning all-rounder Charlie Dean – who worked under Edwards at Vipers – and left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone.
England A are currently touring Australia with former U19 captain Grace Scrivens leading the T20 group and Durham skipper Hollie Armitage in charge of the 50-over party, so those two players could be outside candidates to succeed Knight.
Sky Sports cricket commentator and pundit Charles Dagnall feels Heather Knight’s departure as England captain was inevitable
England’s senior side are back in action from May 21 as they play six white-ball games (three ODIs, three T20s) at home to West Indies followed by five T20s and three ODIs against India in June and July.
They will then travel to India in the autumn for the 50-over World Cup – a tournament they finished runners-up to Australia during the 2022 edition in New Zealand.
England host the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup and will be looking to win that event for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2009, having lost to Australia in the 2012, 2014 and 2018 finals.
England’s results in the previous two T20 World Cups contributed to Lewis’ sacking with the side eliminated in the semi-finals by hosts South Africa in 2023 and then dumped out in the group stage in the UAE in 2024 following defeat to West Indies.
That second loss came as England put in a ragged fielding display under Sciver-Brunt’s stewardship, dropping five catches, while Knight was off the field with a calf issue she sustained when batting.
