It was in the immediate aftermath of England Women's dramatic 50-over World Cup final win over India at Lord's that Heather Knight got a snapshot of how quickly live evolves as a recognisable England captain.
Not long after Anya Shrubsole had yorked Rajeshwari Gayakwad to secure the trophy, Knight raced out the Grace Gates to throw up after eating a rogue piece of chicken. Somehow, despite still being in her kit, she managed to do what she needed to do - doubled over next to a fancy car - and re-entered the ground without being spotted.
A few days later, dressed in her own clothes at Euston station, nursing a well-deserved hangover, she was stopped by members of the public. They had noticed this fellow commuter, despite her attempts to blend in, happened to be the one losing her mind on the big screens, which were showing replays of that victorious moments and the celebrations that followed.
Despite assuming the captaincy following the seismic axing of Charlotte Edwards the year before, by which point she was an established batter in her own right, it was 2017's success that propelled Knight as a talismanic figure in the women's game. One who went on to become a headlining cricketer on the global stage. And, on Saturday, as necessary high-profile collateral following a humiliating 16-0 defeat in the Ashes.
After 199 matches in charge, Knight boasts a 67 per cent win percentage, ahead of Edwards' 64 from a larger sample size. It is a metric that elevates her as England Women's most successful captain. And yet, that doesn't quite scratch the surface when assessing her nine years at the helm.
Across a period of expanding horizons in the women's game, Knight moved with the times. Her consistency with the bat throughout, across all formats, reflected as much. A prim and proper base was gradually furnished with flair as she led from the front in pursuit of a more expansive batting from the whole.
Through constant tinkering, she incorporated a higher back-lift to improve her boundary-hitting, particularly on slower pitches. Knight's recent record in T20Is, her weakest international code, showcases the benefits of that graft; since the start of 2020, she has struck 158 fours and 25 sixes in 59 innings, having only managed 73 and 12 in the previous 56.
Captaincy, however, took the most work. By Knight's own admission, she was never the best public speaker and was wary of not possessing the requisite interpersonal skills to knit together a dressing room of varying personalities when she took on the big job in June 2016. She enlisted the help of team psychologists to become a better orator, and went on to undertake a Leadership in Sport course at the University of Buckinghamshire in 2021.
The best example of her management skills came in the lead-up to 2017's success, when she got the squad to confront why England had been found wanting in pressure situations. Such issues had previously been swept under the carpet.
They responded well then, and Knight was able to repeat the trick with an altogether different group in 2023, as the Ashes were squared just as Australia were speaking a whitewash into existence. They got their way in the return leg earlier this year.
A criticism of Knight could probably be that she stopped short of truly imposing herself in the dressing room. Under three different coaches - Mark Robinson, Lisa Keightley and Jon Lewis - she had the scope to mould a team in her image, particularly under the last two.
That Knight did not was partly down to loyalty to those coaches, not wishing to impinge on their work. At the same time, she knew her worth; was unafraid to grasp the nettle and disagree with their plans, and not always being diplomatic about it. But a reticence for a more over-arching presence is perhaps a reason why the team felt so lost without her. Even Lewis, who left his role on Friday, tried to rectify this blind spot by attempting to force-feed nous to the rest of the players so they may thrive in her absence.
By the end, Knight's tactical acumen and in-game feel were unparalleled, and that was apparent in 2022's Commonwealth Games, which she missed with a hip issue, and more so in the Group Stage exit at the 2024 T20 World Cup. Needing to beat West Indies to secure qualification to the latter stages, Knight had to retire hurt in the first innings with a calf injury. Not only did it halt England's momentum with the bat, but a listless performance in the field allowed West Indies to chase down a target of 142 with six wickets and two overs to spare.
That England have never won the Ashes under Knight's watch will jar, 8-8 draws in 2017/18 and 2023 the best it got. The fact her other two final visits - 2018's World T20 and 2022's ODI World Cup - resulted in heavy defeats to Australia reflects an ever-growing gap far beyond Knight's control. The recent success of New Zealand and South Africa from their limited resources a reason why wholesale changes were needed for the English game to move forward.
At this juncture, it is worth taking a step back and acknowledging Knight was far more than just a captain. For the longest time, being a women's cricketer has required a level of ambassadorial stewardship, and the influx of cash and opportunities has only heightened the political requirements involved. Few have led the line on these fronts quite as well as Knight, who just a few weeks ago criticised her own board for the widening pay gap in The Hundred. Since 2020, she has served as vice-chair of the Professional Cricketers' Association.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Knight used her role as captain to position herself at the forefront of important conversations, particularly as the women's game was parked. Balancing the understanding of the economic realities of prioritising the men's game during the 2020 season, she remained forthright about the sidelining of the women, which included the lack of clarity around her team's schedule, and the postponement of 2021's World Cup. That summer, she also signed up to the NHS volunteer scheme, transporting medicine and speaking to those who were self-isolating.
As such, the news that Knight will continue on is a boost to all concerned. She remains England's best batter and one of the most impressive representatives of the women's game. Her time as captain may have come to an end, but her work as a leader goes on.