Ace speedster Trent Boult has not been named in the New Zealand squad for the T20I and ODI series against India, slated to begin on Friday, November 18. The pacer has not been included as he had opted out of his central contract earlier this year, and the management felt that players who have central or domestic contracts need to be given priority now. It is important to note that Boult was a part of New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad, and the side’s campaign saw them reaching the semi-finals.
Head coach Gary Stead spoke further about why Boult has not been named in the squad after the team was announced.
“When Trent opted out of his NZC contract in August, we indicated that priority would be given to those players with either central or domestic contracts, and that’s been the case here,” Stead said in an official release issued by New Zealand Cricket.
“We’re all aware of Trent’s world-class ability, but at this time – as we build towards more global events, we want to give opportunities and experiences to others,” he added.
In the squad, Finn Allen has also been named which means there is no place for seasoned pro Martin Guptill.
“The emergence and success of Finn at the top of the order in white-ball cricket means a guy of the class of Martin Guptill misses out – that’s just the nature of the high-performance sport,” said Stead.
“With the 50-over World Cup less than a year away we’re keen to give Finn every opportunity to keep gaining ODI experience, especially against quality opposition such as India. The message to both those players is that there’s a lot of international cricket ahead and the door is certainly not closed to them,” he added.
Stead said it was always a special time having India in the country and was sure the tour would be an exciting one for players and fans alike.
“There’s always an incredible buzz when India comes to town. The energy and noise is incredible and I know the team are really looking forward to getting back and playing in front of some big home crowds,” said Stead.
“India are a world-class side stacked with stars and we know we’ll have to be right at the top of our game,” he added.
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