CHENNAI: It has been three years since Jess Jonassen lost her father Ray to cancer in 2021. Since then she has been part of the Australian side that won the ODI World Cup and the Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2022, the T20 World Cup in 2023 and retained the Women's Ashes on English soil. Despite being an integral part of one of the most successful national sides over the decade, not having her dad around to celebrate or even get some fatherly advice still makes it all too difficult for the 31-year-old.
"Over the last little period, it has been quite challenging in the sense that I would have given anything to have some fatherly advice from him about the situation. Knowing he was always quite articulate and able to see things from multiple angles and give you that greater perspective. I have got a ladybug tattoo and I wear ladybug socks as a little nod to him," Jonassen told this daily.
Team success aside, Jonassen currently finds herself outside of the Australian national side. And has not played in any of Australia's white-ball fixtures since October 2023, when captain Hayley Matthews smashed a century to help West Indies chase down 213 in a T20I.
For someone like Jonassen, who was one of the first names in the playing XIs over a decade, it didn't sit well. So when she got her opportunity in the Women's Premier League for the Delhi Capitals, she grabbed it with both hands. And within just three fixtures she took nine wickets - the most by any bowler in the tournament. If that wasn't enough she became the first player to take three wickets in three consecutive WPL games. Jonassen describes it in one word: Satisfying.
"It probably feels pretty satisfying because over the last while, I know I've been working hard and preparing as best I can, just waiting for an opportunity. When it has finally come my way in whatever way, whatever sort of team or setup, it's nice to see that hard work is being rewarded through performance and validates what I was doing was right," she added.
"There were questions when the opportunities weren't coming about like am I still cut out for this level? Am I still good enough? Is my international career over? I had conversations with players and staff within that Australian setup that assured me otherwise, but that human tendency for me particularly to overthink, overanalyze, or create situations that may not necessarily be there.
Lack of opportunity and knowing that I've had a long career already it was hard not to think of anything other than that." Having her mind full of those questions was only natural, but in the WPL, two things are working in her favor - her father's words of not giving up and faith her former Australian captain Meg Lanning has put her in the WPL for Delhi Capitals.
"He (her father) wanted me always to keep fighting and keep trying as long as I can. I know that as long as I keep doing that he will be proud. Just before I go out to bat, I take a little moment at the sideline to look up and sort of ask the question internally. All right, Dad, what have you got for me today? And to be honest, I feel like over these last few weeks he has had something to say about it all. He is with me and helping me navigate this last little period," Jonassen has that quiet smile on her face.
While her father has helped her navigate the internal battles, Lanning has been a rock-solid supporter of the allrounder in WPL 2024. "She has been great around the group this year. She knows how to perform under pressure, and has done it over all these years. She is at a different stage in her international career but for us at Delhi Capitals, it is nice to have someone you can rely on and you know what you are getting in pressure situations. For her to bounce back, particularly in the last two games has been excellent and I am happy that she has been able to do well and help her team win," Lanning praised her after their match against Gujarat where Jonassen took three wickets while giving away just 22 runs in her four overs.
Lanning had captained Jonassen in 148 white ball games over nine years where she took 188 wickets before the captain retired in 2023. To say they know each other well is an understatement and the respect is mutual. "It just feels like home. That's the only way I can describe it. There is just this comfort knowing that there's that trust and that faith, if you need a job done, I'll put my hand up and I'll do my very best to try and get it done for you. You have given me the ball because you believe I can do it. So I want to prove you might.
"Meg has the ability to instill such confidence in all those around her. You could be doubting yourself as much as anyone, but she'll always be able to put you in your place and get you to believe in yourself regardless of who you are. And that's something I've always loved and admired about Meg and her captaincy and leadership," Jonassen said. Even a year after Lanning played her last international game for Australia, nothing has changed for those who have played under her leadership.
For every athlete, there comes a time when self-doubt creeps in and it does more harm than many other aspects of the game. After a 12-year-long international career, that moment did come for Jonassen, but with the words from her late father behind her and a captain like Lanning standing by her side, she is standing tall in the WPL, with runs and wickets.