Summer of Sixes

You’ve just played for your country, faced down a turning ball under floodlights, helped steer a team chase in front of thousands, and before the sweat’s even dried, you’re already being asked about the next series. Life moves fast when you’re playing international cricket, living out of a suitcase and spending most of your year on the road.

So what comes after the chaos when you’re one of England’s most seasoned pros?

For Heather Knight, it’s usually a cold Diet Coke and whatever series the team’s gossiping about in the group chat. Love Island is divisive, but it gets airtime. For Tammy Beaumont, it’s Married at First Sight Australia, no questions asked. “Not proud of it. But it happens!” she laughs. Her travel bag always includes a cuddly toy shaped like her dog, Indie. “It’s a bit of a running joke. She comes everywhere.”

Heather Knight and Tammy Beaumont aren’t just names on the team sheet. They are the foundations of this England side. Heather, who captained the team for more than six years, led them through World Cup triumphs, transitions, and unforgettable milestones. Despite being sidelined from this summer’s series with a hamstring injury, she remains central to the squad’s identity. Tammy, the sharp-eyed opener with a ferocious drive and a CV full of centuries, is in a purple patch of form and leading the line. Between them, they have racked up more than 400 international appearances and helped steer English cricket through eras of upheaval and growth.

Everything they’ve worked for is coming together now. India are here, and the summer is already well underway. For the first time ever, England’s women’s, men’s and men’s mixed disability teams will face the same opposition in a single season. One opponent. Three squads. One England. The series stretches across every format and takes place at the biggest grounds in the country: The Kia Oval in London, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Trent Bridge in Nottingham, the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol, Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester, the Utilita Bowl in Southampton, Lord’s in London, and the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street in Durham.

triumph!

For the women’s team, this isn’t just exciting, it’s a marker of progress. “To think now that it’s become standard that we’re going to play at the biggest grounds in the country… it’s just amazing!” says Tammy. “We now have a chance of selling them out and people are desperate to host the matches.” She remembers how different things looked in the early days of her playing for England. “I remember playing India in Truro in 2012,” she says. “It was part of a cricket festival. Now we’ve got a standalone T20 on a weekend at Trent Bridge!” She’d suggested it to Mick Newell, Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket, and to her delight, they made it happen. “They’ve gone and got it, and now they want to create a brilliant experience!”

The challenge is serious. India arrived with a squad sharpened by the Women’s Premier League and the momentum of a thriving domestic competition. “There’s always a new bowler,” says Tammy. “Their talent pool’s growing every year. There’s just so much depth now. You’ve always got someone trying to break in and someone who’s desperate to stay in.”

Heather, even from the sidelines, has her eye on the threats. “Smriti Mandhana speaks for herself. One of the most aesthetically pleasing batters I’ve ever seen. Jemimah Rodrigues is in great form, Harmanpreet Kaur is dangerous in white-ball. And their spin line-up is high class. Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Rajeshwari Gayakwad… how we play those is going to be really important.”

Tammy Beaumont (right) holds the record for the highest individual Test score by an English woman - a stunning 208 runs.

With the ODI World Cup looming, every innings is a building block. “It’s been a real focus this season,” says Heather. “Getting in and going for big scores but also being smart around how we build our innings.” The T20 matches bring a different sort of fire. “The Oval and Manchester are massive occasions. They’re always big events. It’s the spectacle and the energy.”

That energy’s already been tested. The series opener at Trent Bridge didn’t go England’s way, as India stormed to a 97-run victory. Smriti Mandhana lit up the ground with a blistering 112, and debutant Shreyanka Patil took four wickets to help dismantle the hosts for just 113. It was England’s heaviest T20 defeat on record. Then came Bristol, where Jemimah Rodrigues and Amanjot Kaur both struck half-centuries to set a target of 181. Tammy hit 54 in reply, and Sophie Ecclestone made a late charge, but England fell short by 24 runs. With India now leading 2–0 in the T20 series, the pressure is firmly on.

Still, there’s everything left to play for. And if recent summers have shown us anything, it’s that this England side knows how to rally.

Former England player turned head coach Charlotte Edwards shares a moment with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt

revolutionise

There’s fresh energy behind the scenes. Charlotte Edwards, the former England captain who helped revolutionise the game as a player, is now leading the squad as head coach. “Lottie loves her cricket,” Tammy laughs. “That’s why we get on so well. We can talk cricket for hours. We’re both complete badgers!” Heather adds, “She’s extremely knowledgeable and quite clear with what she wants. That passion definitely rubs off.”

The captain’s armband now sits with Nat Sciver-Brunt, a transition Heather supports. “She’ll do it differently to how I did it. That’s important. You’ve got to be authentic. She’s got her own way and it suits her.” Tammy’s full of praise. “Cool, calm and collected. And doing it with a three-month-old baby on tour. That’s superhuman almost!”

The transformation isn’t just at leadership level. The introduction of full-time domestic contracts has been seismic. “That’s been a game-changer,” says Tammy. “There were maybe 20 contracted England players. Now there are over 100 women with full-time deals.”

It’s helped push through talents like Alice Capsey and Emily Arlott. “Emily adds a lot with the ball,” says Heather. “But also her hitting at the back end of the order is really impressive.” Tammy is excited by Charis Pavely. “She bats, bowls, and fields really well. The tougher the game gets, the more she wants to be involved.”

That push for progress extends beyond the pitch. Across the game, players are beginning to challenge the male-centric thinking that still shapes much of sports science. As part of the ECB’s women’s health group, Tammy is contributing to the shift. “All the guidelines for fitness and nutrition are based on men. The female body is different. We need different things.” Now, she’s helping change things at a grassroots level. From kit redesigns to menstrual products in clubhouses, the game is becoming a space that better reflects the needs of the women playing it.That work also ties into her focus on teenage drop-out rates, an issue Tammy feels strongly about. “I was one of the only girls at a boys’ club. If I hadn’t had access to a different changing room or someone to talk to, I might have dropped out, much like many young girls do.” A 2022 study by Women in Sport backs that up, revealing that 43% of girls who considered themselves sporty in primary school no longer felt that way by their teenage years, equating to over a million girls in the UK dropping out of sport. The reasons vary- periods, fear of judgement, poor facilities, and outdated attitudes all contribute.

Creating space on the pitch is one part of it. But visibility from the stands matters too. It’s not just about who’s on the pitch. It’s about who’s in the crowd. Both women want more young women and girls to come to matches and see themselves reflected in the players. “There’s something about being there in person,” Tammy says. “Feeling part of it. Knowing there’s a place for you.”

They talk about the day out itself. The music, the crowds, the energy. Friends catching up. Flags waving. Ice cream dripping in the sun. Big hits, close calls, every run cheered. “It’s not just a cricket match,” Tammy says. “It’s a brilliant day out. And you remember those moments. That was me, too, once.”

Cricket, she says, genuinely has space for everyone. You don’t have to be good at everything. Whether you’re scoring, playing, coaching or just there for the noise, the nerves and the ice cream, there’s a role for you. It’s one of the few sports where individuality isn’t just accepted, it’s essential. And when girls see that up close, they start to believe there’s a place for them, too.

That same belief in visibility is what fuels Tammy’s passion for the disability game. “The standard is amazing. The personalities, the joy… it’s exactly why I play cricket. Women’s cricket has gone on its own journey, but it’s time we bring disability cricket along with us too. There’s no reason they shouldn’t have just as big a platform.”

“The standard is amazing. The personalities, the joy… it’s exactly why I play cricket."

inclusive

The second T20 in Bristol saw England Women play after the men’s mixed disability team at the Seat Unique Stadium. “It was really special,” Tammy says. “I’m so glad we’re all part of the same summer.”

Heather sees this summer as a major moment for connection. “There’s obviously a huge Indian fan base in the UK, so I think it’s going to be a pretty big summer with plenty of exciting series for fans to get behind.”

While an electric atmosphere is expected at every ground, Tammy doesn’t hesitate when asked where the buzz really comes alive. “It has to be Trent Bridge,” she says. “My home ground. Had to be, didn’t it? And a great place to bat too, which I love. I’ve done alright there so far!” Heather picks Edgbaston “It brings the noise! It’s an incredible atmosphere- it feels like a party, and that lifts the players.” Tammy agrees, with a nod to the famously rowdy Hollies stand. “I’m going to say Edgbaston because the Hollies stand can really rock, though my husband might disagree, he loves the Oval!”

And when it’s time to rest, both players know how to find their rhythm again. Heather’s traded cycling and golf for digging flower beds and battling weeds. “Not very successfully. But I’ve enjoyed it. It’ll probably go down the pan when I’m not injured, but I’ve quite enjoyed getting in the garden so far!” Tammy meanwhile unwinds in the countryside, walking her dog Indie, picking up a hammer, working on home renovations. “We’ve just moved house so there’s always a project to do. But I love it!” she laughs. “I also enjoy seeing nature through my dog’s eyes, it brings me a lot of joy.”

Still, this isn’t a summer for kicking back. It’s one for showing up. “It’s the kind of environment where everyone can find their place,” says Tammy. That’s the feeling the team hope fans get when they walk through the gates. It’s not just about results. It’s about the drama. The soundtrack of a live crowd. The moment a wicket falls. The flags, the roars, the selfies. That electric charge of sport doing what it does best.

And you can be part of it. England Women are front and centre this summer, bringing the heat, the energy, and the full matchday experience as they take on India in this historic series, alongside the England Men’s and Men’s Mixed Disability teams. One opponent. Three squads. One England. A summer of unmissable cricket (with a bit of sun, if we’re lucky!). Whether it’s your first time at a match or you’ve followed every ball, this is the moment to get involved. With tickets starting from just £5 for under-16s and most adult tickets between £10 and £20, they’re going fast! So fire up the group chat, choose your city, and get in while you can. Be there for history. Be part of something bigger.

See you in the stands!

For further information, and to get your tickets, click here.