Sophie Ecclestone says regular sessions with a private psychologist helped her regain the desire to play for England after a difficult period that left her questioning whether she wanted to continue in cricket. Speaking ahead of England’s home T20 World Cup campaign, which begins on June 12, the left-arm spinner said there were times last year when she felt overwhelmed by the demands of international cricket and by life away from home. She admitted there was a point when she did not want to play for England anymore, but now feels more settled and motivated as the team prepares for a major tournament on home soil.
Ecclestone said the turning point came through mental health support, along with help from teammates and coaches. She described a period when she did not leave the house for five days and said personal struggles affected her cricket as well. The England star thanked those around her, including head coach Charlotte Edwards and former coach Jon Lewis, for supporting her through what she called a rough patch.
Her comments come after a turbulent stretch for England women’s cricket. Ecclestone’s low point followed England’s group-stage exit from the last T20 World Cup in late 2024 and a heavy Ashes defeat in Australia at the start of 2025. She later missed two home series against West Indies for injury and wellbeing reasons. Ecclestone also defended the fitness of the England squad, saying the team is now “ridiculously fit” and insisting that criticisms from outside were unfair. She said Edwards has introduced standards that were needed in professional cricket and believes the squad is now in a strong position to succeed at the World Cup.
The spinner, one of the world’s leading bowlers for several years, has remained central to England’s plans. She was England’s top wicket-taker at the 50-over World Cup last October and continues to lead the spin attack despite some mixed recent results. In the ODI series against New Zealand, she bowled only once because of rain, and in the first T20I she was targeted by Sophie Devine. However, she responded strongly in the third match, taking one wicket for 11 runs. Fellow left-arm spinner Linsey Smith also impressed, taking Player of the Series honours and strengthening England’s options in the bowling department.
Ecclestone said the rise in pressure on international players has made it especially important for younger teammates to have support and to accept that bad days are part of the game. England have also brought in 18-year-old Tilly Corteen-Coleman, adding another left-arm spinner to the squad. Ecclestone said she wants emerging players to understand that cricket at this level is hard and that perfection is impossible.
She also said she has returned to social media and is ready for the spotlight that comes with a home World Cup. Ecclestone added that winning the trophy would mean everything to her and to the group, calling it the kind of finish she could only dream of after a difficult 18 months.
