“Undereating and depression led to early retirement”

Meg Lanning, the former captain of Australia’s women’s cricket team and six-time World Cup winner, has made a startling admission: she had to quit early at the age of 31 because of depressive episodes and weight loss brought on by “over-exercising and under-fueling.”

After winning the gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Lanning took a six-month mental health leave of absence to work at a coffee shop. In 2023, she skipped three overseas assignments, including the Ashes, before retiring; however, she gave no explanation for her absence at that time. “I was in denial, even though everyone kept telling me something wasn’t quite right, and it kind of just spiralled out of control.” I was not in a position to play cricket, go on tour, and deliver the mental and physical dedication needed for that Ashes series,” Lanning said in an interview with The Howie Games podcast.

The team’s triumph in the 2023 T20 World Cup in South Africa was Lanning’s last major achievement as captain, making him the most successful captain in Australian cricket history.

The 32-year-old said that after jogging around 90 miles a week, she eventually lost her appetite and started eating just two meals a day, which resulted in a noticeable drop in weight.