The Superstar Who Refused Stardom

Rachael Haynes knew how to fly under the radar, and yet standing up when it matters most. You would hardly ever remember her as the highest scorer for the Aussies in the World Cup of 2013, hosted by India. In a team which boasted of stalwarts like Meg Lanning, Alex Blackwell, Lisa Sthalekar & Elysse Perry, Rachael Haynes piled on the runs and had probably given an exhibition of playing spin bowling on favourable subcontinent wickets.

What came after a high of winning a World Cup was a phase she did not ever anticipate, but what had probably contributed in shaping one of the sharpest minds that we had been fortunate to experience in the golden-era of Australian Women Cricket. Rachael Haynes lost her contract.

In an article with AthletesVoice she had summed up the phase as “There were a few weeks in a row where I didn’t have a day off. A lifestyle like that (combining work and playing cricket) wears you down after a while. There was no room for anything else. It got to a point where I wasn’t particularly enjoying work or my cricket and didn’t feel I was doing either justice. I was questioning whether I still had the energy to put in the work required to perform at a level I was happy with.” Rachael Haynes was at the brink of retirement.

And then came the much clichéd – “Second Coming”. It was almost as if cricket needed Rachael Haynes and the thoughts of retirement during that phase were put to rest, partly by her state board and the professionalization of womens’ cricket in Australia.

The 2017 World Cup will probably not be a tournament most Australians will remember with joy, but it was certainly one of those tournaments which put Women Cricket into the limelight with blockbuster crowds. It was then that a friend pointed out that Meg Lanning’s replacement in Australia’s match vs Pakistan was a captaincy replacement too. Rachael Haynes had been handpicked as a like for like replacement, but only for the matches where Lanning will be rested.

What is to be noted that it looked like Cricket Australia had an AI in place for a leader. An oft-used word in our day to day life is a ‘Natural leader’. But we often fail to find definitions around it. Rachael Haynes seems to tick all the boxes that in corporate jargon defines a leader. Hard work, wonderful decision- making ability, intense power of observation, dedication and empathy. It was these qualities that she manifested which helped Sydney Thunder to a WBBL title in 2020. A ploy to bowl a red hot Shabnim Ismail for 4 continuous overs in a seaming pitch and thus breaking the backbone of a star studded Melbourne Stars line up led by her national team captain Meg Lanning, was a master class in decision making.

And despite these qualities Rachael Haynes was never the superstar. In an interview she famously said that she would like to be stuck in an elevator with Lanning, Healy and Perry because “somebody would come looking for us, and they wouldn’t even know I was there, but I get out and that’s most important”. Another of those qualities which made her a hit with even opposition fans – the quiet confidence.

Most journalists and fans alike credit Rachael Haynes as the backbone of the all-conquering Australian Women team. However, I will always remember her as the woman who had a lot of perspective on life outside cricket and it was that balance which shaped her cricket. Her presence in the Aussie batting order was almost like a warm comforter in the harsh Aussie winters. As much as I would like to say that Australia will find it difficult to replace the sheer calmness and the fascinating decision making, knowing Rachael Haynes I believe she has already groomed a successor and will keep grooming some more.

Go well Rachael, have the finest fine wine because your legacy will be unparalleled! Also, keep bowling when you can.