New Zealand – A Bleak Future Ahead!!!!

Until the ICC Test Championship final in 2021, New Zealand cricket had never won a single ICC trophy, but what a first one to win. I think the World Test Championship in the coming years will overtake the likes of the ODI WC and T20 WC as the most prized possession. The only fear I have is the pool of teams serious about earning that prestigious mace. New Zealand, being the worthy first-time winners of the Championship, doesn’t provide much promise for the future to retain that trophy.

New Zealand cricket has always been filled with athletes from a nation that has always put rugby over cricket. Still, the likes of Martin Crowe, Richard Hadlee, Greatbatch, Cairns, McCullum, Boult, Southee, and finally Williamson have shone on the world stage. I remember watching the first World Cup match between Australia and New Zealand in 1992 at Eden Park on TV in the early hours of the morning in India, telecast on cable. It wasn’t a day-night game, and the way Martin Crowe batted amazed me; he was so composed and technically correct. Later in the day, of course, was the heartbreak at Perth when an old wily fox in Ian Botham bamboozled Sachin and Kambli to seal India’s fate in their opening encounter. It was probably the longest day of cricket I had ever seen. I woke up at around 3 AM in India to catch up with Australia versus New Zealand, followed by the India-England game at Perth, which ended around 5 PM Indian time. Both matches lived up to the great expectations – just that the desire for India to win was missed out.

Coming back to New Zealand. This is a team that has assembled a group of players who have always lifted a lot of weight with the limited skills and the pool of players they have in their domestic circuit. It is not easy to qualify for ICC trophies knockouts. New Zealand has, time and again, proved the pundits wrong by at least qualifying for the semi-finals in either T20s or ODI WCs. To be frank, before the start of any world events, I doubt if anyone considers New Zealand to qualify for the semis except a few commentators from New Zealand. It was not a good campaign for New Zealand in the 2024 T20 WC; they should have gone for the kill against the West Indies at Trinidad when they had them on the mat at about 80 for 7.

Kane Williamson denied the central contract today to enhance his commitment to the leagues around the world, where he can make lucrative money without having to play a complete season for NZC. It is well understandable for an individual who has spent almost one and a half decades for his country to keep his interests ahead now. To agree with the fact, New Zealand captains hardly get about 500,000 USD as their annual income compared to the Australian captain who earns an average of 5 times this value with a whopping 2.5 million USD. Williamson can easily earn 5 times his annual salary by playing in various leagues around the world. However, the true gentleman he is, he never denied playing for New Zealand in world events. He is still committed to doing good for New Zealand.

But I fear this could have a cascading effect on many players within the New Zealand cricket team. With Boult and Ferguson already denying central contracts, the list might grow. NZC needs to quickly address this issue to avoid further damage. They need to nurture more Rachin Ravindras, Glenn Phillips, Finn Allens, and more youngsters. Give them a platform and more match time. Along with the big three, India, Australia, and England, Test cricket badly needs New Zealand, South Africa, and Pakistan to carry the format forward. ICC has its tasks cut out; it needs to put more effort into these countries and ensure the flames of Test cricket don’t get diminished. Schoolchildren in Auckland, Napier, Wellington, and Hamilton should be encouraged to play the longest format of the sport. T20s are exciting and good money, but the pinnacle remains Test cricket.

 

World cricket needs New Zealand badly!!!

 

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