England wicket-keeper batter Sarah Taylor on Friday withdrew herself from the T20 International series of the Women's Ashes due to the ongoing management of her anxiety issues.
Taylor with the help of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) staff has been working to manage her mental health over the last three years. She had taken a break from cricket in 2016 before making a comeback for the ICC Women's World Cup 2017.
The wicket-keeper batter, however, missed the ICC Women's World T20 2018 in the Caribbean to again manage her anxiety issues. Taylor returned in the squad during England tour of India but only for the ODI series. She again made a comeback in the team for West Indies tour of England.
Taylor was part of both ODI and Test squad of the ongoing Ashes in the UK. Australia with eight points retained the Ashes after the one-off Test was drawn. England with two points in their kitty can still draw the multi-format series if they win all three T20Is, which carry two points on winning each match.
Middle-order batter Fran Wilson will replace Taylor in the squad, ECB announced.
Taylor said that she has progressed from the way she used to be in 2016. But she added that mental health is continual management and she does not feel good enough to compete in the series.
"I first took a break from the game in 2016 but I don't want people to feel this is exactly the same. I've made progress in that time and there are plenty of challenges I've met on the way and hurdles I've overcome," Taylor said.
"That said, mental health is not something you 'beat'. It's a continual management process and at the moment I don't feel in a good enough place to compete in international sport," she added.
Taylor conveyed good wishes to her England teammates for the T20Is with a hope that her team draws the series.
"I wish the girls all the best across the T20I series. 8-8 is a very different score from 8-2 and I know they're all working incredibly hard to win these last three matches and draw the series," she said.
Earlier, all-rounder Jenny Gunn had withdrawn from the T20I series due to a side strain. She left the group to undergo rehab ahead of the Women's Super League, also known as KIA Super League.
England and Australia will play in the three-match T20I series, the final leg of Women's Ashes, on July 26, 28 and 31.
( With inputs from ANI )
