Charlie Dean Discusses Vice-Captain Role and England Women’s Leadership

Charlie Dean to remain "sarcastic and jovial" as England's vice-captain for the 2025 Women's WC. Charlotte Edwards, England's head coach, introduced her as Nat Sciver-Brunt's assistant during their camp in Abu Dhabi.

"Having had a bit more captaincy experience this summer, and I think [England are] trying to create a leadership group. That is a bit more official and structured to really help Nat going into this World Cup," Dean said in Guwahati ahead of England's game against Bangladesh.

"Obviously, we don't want Nat off the pitch, but if that were to happen, then I guess I'm ready to step up, with a bit of help from Tammy [Beaumont] and Jonesie [Amy Jones] and Dunks [Sophia Dunkley] as well, who are all exceptional leaders in their own right. However, we have a large number of characters and leaders in this team. Heather [Knight] has been brilliant. She's come back from injury, I guess, tapping into her knowledge when we can and really learning as a group."

Dean made her international debut just in 2021; however, she was the captain of the London Spirit in the Women's Hundred earlier this year and has been mentioned as a possible successor to Knight. 

She is frequently observed discussing her bowling grip, locations to bowl, and the strokes batters may use against her after practically every delivery in the nets, highlighting her analytical abilities. Even during England's domestic summer, she was frequently observed altering the angles of the fielders. Dean said her role as Sciver-Brunt's deputy is mainly "being a bit of a sounding board".

"She's got a brilliant cricket brain and she leads from the front with how she acts," Dean said. "I guess for me it is about being there to complement and look after bits she hopefully shouldn't need to, [like] getting the fielders in the right place and bits like that. [It is] trying to make sure that she has everything she needs to be really clear and be the best version of herself for us… just being there as an option more than anything".

"I'm probably someone who's not going to come forward with 10 million different ideas, but I guess [my role is] thinking about the game and having a bit of a cricket brain and trying to shout out when I feel like I see something that could really help."

Following the Women's Ashes earlier this year, England's leadership changed. Edwards succeeded Jon Lewis, and Sciver-Brunt took over after Knight's nine-year tenure. Their first match under new leadership was at home against the West Indies, which they won 6-0 across formats, before losing to India at home again.

"Having Nat and Lottie [Edwards] feels like a bit of a fresh start for us all," Dean said. "The players in the team might not have changed. But the things that we're looking to do and being really specific about how we go about our ODI cricket, that attention to detail has changed, and we want to show our grit and determination. That comes from Nat in the way in which she goes about her cricket."

"You watch her bat, and she's someone who really puts her hand up and has those big innings for the team. Just from the way she behaves, that filters down. Lottie's the coach who reads the game really well, and it seems really simple when she talks it through. We all know that cricket can be quite complicated. So, I guess breaking things down, keeping it really simple, and going into specifics has really helped us.".

Dean first grabbed headlines in India for being run out backing up by Deepti Sharma in the Lord's ODI in 2022. But since then, she has grown leaps and bounds. She also played the WPL earlier this year for the Smriti Mandhana-led RCB. Never one to shy away from having a laugh, Dean hopes not to change with this additional responsibility.

"As a person, I don't really change, no matter what role I have," she said. "I'm a bit sarcastic and jovial, but I really think about the game beyond that.