‘Cricket’s a brutal game’ - Tahlia McGrath opens up on toughest phase of career

Published - 23 Dec 2025, 15:48 IST | Updated - 23 Dec 2025, 15:51 IST

Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath has endured a challenging period in recent months. From Australia’s disappointing World Cup campaign to being released by UP Warriorz in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), the all-rounder has faced a difficult phase in her career. McGrath has now openly admitted that she has struggled to find form, acknowledging that the situation has taken a mental toll on her.

She explained that when performances do not go as expected, the pressure tends to intensify, making it even harder to regain momentum. When asked whether this marked the toughest phase of her career, McGrath conceded that the added responsibility of leadership has also contributed to the strain. In addition to her role with the Australian team, McGrath captains Adelaide Strikers in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), further increasing the demands on her.

"Cricket's a pretty brutal game, and it's very much based around confidence. And when it's not going your way, the world gets pretty big on you. I definitely underperformed and felt the pressure a bit," McGrath told cricket.com.au.

"Probably. I think you add captaincy into that, you add time away from home. And, obviously, when you lose a World Cup, it's pretty hard to get over as well. It's been a challenging time. As much as I was doing everything possible to get us playing some finals cricket [in the WBBL], I was hanging out for a bit of a break," she added.

McGrath was released by the UP Warriorz and subsequently chose not to register for the upcoming WPL player auction. She has also decided to step away from competitive batting for now, opting not to pick up the bat until her next assignment with South Australia in the 50-over domestic competition next month. Currently batting at No. 7 in ODIs and No. 6 in T20Is for Australia, McGrath has expressed a desire to return to the top order, a position where she began her international career.

"It's properly distancing myself at the moment. There's not much point in me picking up a bat. I wouldn't achieve much. So, it's ‘get away from the game, go for walks along the beach, play a bit of golf, see some friends and family.’ And just refresh, get that energy back and put in the work after Christmas,” said McGrath.