Ashleigh Gardner's ex-wife, Monica Wright, has publicly called for the Australian cricket star to be stripped of her leadership roles, citing allegations of an affair with a younger teammate. Wright's statements follow the collapse of her seven-month marriage to Gardner, the vice-captain of Australia's women's team and captain of the Sydney Sixers.
Wright alleges that Gardner, 29, had an affair with fellow Australian player Georgia Voll, 22, during last year's ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in India. Neither Gardner nor Voll has publicly addressed these allegations. Wright has questioned why Gardner has been allowed to retain her senior leadership positions after Cricket Australia was made aware of the situation.
"I think if you're privileged enough to represent your country and be seen as a role model, there's a responsibility to hold yourself to a high moral standard," Wright told The Daily Telegraph. "What I can't understand is why Cricket Australia hasn't said anything publicly. Does their silence mean they support the actions of Ashleigh and Georgia? Captains are expected to set the standard, and that kind of conduct falls well short of it."
Wright suggested that such allegations might have been handled differently if they involved members of the Australian men's team, referencing the case of Shane Warne, who was removed as vice-captain in 2000 after reports of sending explicit messages to a nurse.
Cricket Australia, in a statement, rejected the notion that the situation had been mishandled, asserting that safeguards are in place to manage relationships within the organization. "Cricket Australia ensures all relationships within our workforce comply with our Respect at Work policy," the governing body stated. "This includes putting appropriate conflict-of-interest management arrangements in place to support leadership responsibilities and maintain the integrity of team processes. Otherwise, we consider this to be a personal and private matter."
The organization did not confirm whether Gardner's leadership positions are under review. Gardner was appointed co-vice-captain on January 28, alongside Tahlia McGrath. She married Wright in April 2025, but their relationship reportedly began to face difficulties during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in India.
A source familiar with the situation described an atmosphere of awkwardness during Wright's visit to India to see Gardner, noting that Gardner did not seem like herself. Following the World Cup, Gardner reportedly disclosed the reasons for her behavior to Wright, which led to the end of their marriage. The split was particularly distressing for Wright, as the couple had been planning to start a family and had a booking at a fertility clinic that Wright subsequently canceled.
Gardner is understood to have moved out of their shared home in November, leaving behind only their wedding rings. The breakdown of the marriage has reportedly caused distress among other players, as Wright had maintained good relationships with many of them over the previous five years. Wright has reportedly received messages from numerous teammates expressing their upset over the situation.
According to the source, Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel was informed when Gardner was appointed captain of the Sydney Sixers in November, shortly after her separation from Wright. Gardner and Wright met in 2020, became engaged in April 2024, and married in April 2025.