Deepti Sharma has stepped back from the Women's Hundred to manage her workload
Deepti Sharma has stepped back from the Women's Hundred to manage her workload
Star India all-rounder Deepti Sharma has pulled out of The Hundred 2025 tournament. Australian all-rounder Charli Knott has been named as her replacement.
Indian allrounder Deepti Sharma, who famously hit the winning six to seal London Spirit's first-ever title in the Hundred last year, has decided to sit out the 2025 edition of the tournament. Despite currently being in England for India’s tour, her schedule has been packed with national duty and franchise cricket. With the 50-over Women’s World Cup scheduled to take place in India later this year, Deepti has opted to withdraw from her £36,000 contract in order to rest and better manage her workload. It’s a strategic decision aimed at preserving her energy for what promises to be a high-stakes tournament on home turf.
To fill Deepti’s spot, London Spirit have brought in Charli Knott, a talented allrounder from Australia. The squad overall is undergoing several changes this season. With regular captain Heather Knight recovering from injury, Charlie Dean will step up and lead the side. Meg Lanning, another major name in the lineup, will also miss out and has been replaced by Grace Harris. Meanwhile, Chris Liddle has taken over coaching responsibilities from Ashley Noffke, marking a new era for the team.
Deepti’s absence also means that there will be no Indian players featuring in the Hundred this year. The BCCI does not allow active men’s cricketers to play in overseas franchise leagues, and most of the Indian women cricketers who participated in previous seasons are either resting or were not picked in the draft due to similar workload concerns.
Meanwhile, other teams are also making leadership changes. Ash Gardner has been confirmed as the new captain of the Trent Rockets’ women’s side. This follows Nat Sciver-Brunt stepping down from the role after taking over as England captain, a move aimed at balancing her workload. Gardner expressed her excitement, calling it an honour to take the reins.
In the men’s competition, David Willey is set to lead the Rockets after Lewis Gregory was released and picked up by Manchester Originals. Willey, who previously played for Welsh Fire, was drafted for a hefty sum of £200,000 and brings a wealth of leadership experience from his stints with multiple English domestic teams.
As teams prepare for the upcoming season, each franchise will be adding four wildcard players two men and two women based on standout performances in the T20 Blast. One early roster update sees Birmingham Phoenix replacing injured seamer Harry Moore with Freddie McCann from Nottinghamshire.
The Hundred 2025 will run from August 5 to 31 and is being described as a transitional season. After this edition, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) plans to hand over team operations to their respective counties and new private investors, setting the stage for a new chapter in the league from 2026 onward.