'Captaincy has made me think about the game a lot more' - Laura Wolvaardt reflects on 100 games as South Africa skipper
The South African captain has led her team across 109 matches and continues to develop as both a leader and batter.
Laura Wolvaardt has reached a significant milestone in her captaincy journey, leading South Africa in 109 matches across all formats. She took on the role on an interim basis during tours to Pakistan and New Zealand in 2023 before receiving official appointment in November that year. Prior to that, she had captained the team twice during an ODI series in India in 2021.
Reflecting on the achievement, Wolvaardt expressed her sense of wonder at how quickly the milestone had arrived. She spoke about her ongoing learning curve as captain and the unique demands the role places on her thinking about the game.
"I can’t believe it’s been 100 already. I think it feels like just yesterday when I started captaining this team, and I feel like I’m still learning as I’m going. A hundred sounds like a lot, but it’s pretty cool that I’ve been able to lead this group for so long." Wolvaardt was quoted as saying by Cricket South Africa.
How captaincy has changed Wolvaardt's approach to cricket
The transition from batter to captain has fundamentally altered how Wolvaardt approaches cricket. As a batter, her focus remained on personal performance metrics such as strike rate and individual results. The captaincy role has broadened her perspective considerably, requiring her to think about bowling plans, field placements and match conditions well before games begin.
Wolvaardt explained how the shift in mindset has shaped her development as a cricketer. She described the contrast between her previous approach and her current responsibilities as captain. She said:
"As a batter, I think you’re very focused on yourself and what you need to do and your score and your strike rate and your results. But as captain, you know, a day before a game, I’m thinking of bowling plans and fields we’re going to set and conditions and where the wind’s blowing. “And yeah, I feel like it’s made me think about the game a lot more, which has been a good thing. I think it’s really helped me develop as a cricketer," Wolvaardt said.
Wolvaardt's leadership style reflects her personality and approach to managing the team. She does not rely on constant communication or vocal direction in the field, instead preferring a calm and measured demeanor. Her strategy involves thorough planning before matches to minimise uncertainty during play, allowing her to lead through her actions and presence rather than words.
"I think there’s a lot of different ways to lead. Some people do it by speaking a lot. That’s not really my style. I’m pretty quiet," the right-handed batter said.
"I like to think pretty calm. I like to do all the planning before, not feel too frazzled on the field. And yeah, I think it suits my personality. “I think I kind of bring the stability and the calmness and try to lead more through what I’m doing and my actions than what I’m saying," she added.
Wolvaardt's personal batting record continues to strengthen her position as a senior figure in the squad. She has scored 18 centuries across all international formats and accumulated 8,999 career runs, standing just one run short of becoming the first Proteas Women player to reach the 9,000-run milestone. Her experience and consistency at the crease complement her role as captain.
Wolvaardt on mentoring younger generation
The recent Zimbabwe tour in September 2026 highlighted Wolvaardt's transition into a mentoring role. The squad featured several emerging talents, including players aged 19, 20 and 21, marking one of the youngest group compositions in recent years. Wolvaardt found herself among the oldest members of the touring party, a shift she described as having happened unexpectedly. She shared her thoughts on the new role.
"I think I’m like the third or fourth oldest on this tour, which kind of happened overnight. Just yesterday, I was the youngster, just super excited to be here and keen to learn. And now people are asking me questions. And it’s funny how quickly it changed. It’s actually been a blink of an eye," Wolvaardt said.
"But it’s been cool. “It’s been nice to sort of share my knowledge. I feel like the last couple of years, I’ve been able to play a lot of cricket all around the world. And it’s been nice to sort of give that feedback to some of the youngsters," she added.
During the Zimbabwe tour, Wolvaardt demonstrated her batting prowess by scoring 126 not out in the third T20I of the series, setting a South African women's T20I record. South Africa won the five-match T20I series 5-0, showcasing the team's dominance. Wolvaardt's personal performance underscored her continued value as both captain and batter.
When asked about her legacy as captain, Wolvaardt focused on the human and personal dimensions of leadership rather than tactical achievements. She emphasised fairness and kindness in her interactions with players, hoping that her presence and decisions on the field had helped teammates perform better. She expressed hope for a continued tenure in the role.
"I guess just that I was fair and nice. Yeah, I haven’t really thought about it that much. Hopefully I’m still captain for a while. “How I was as a person and how I made them feel on the field. And that hopefully I helped them play better cricket in that moment on the field and didn’t do the opposite," the Milnerton-born said.
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