Trent Boult giving up his New Zealand cricket contract is yet another sign of a revolution sweeping the game – a change that is not happening at the leisurely pace of a Test match, but at the breakneck speed of twenty-T20 innings. .
A key figure in the teams that won the inaugural Test World Championship and finished runners-up in three limited-overs World Cups, Boult will henceforth have a “significantly reduced role” with the Black Caps.
The left-armer asked to be released from his contract so he could spend more time with his new family but, a New Zealand Cricket (NZC) statement said, the 33-year-old also wanted to be available. for “domestic leagues”. .
A busy international calendar across three formats of the game and the added strain of playing in safe bubbles during the Covid-19 pandemic have pushed players like Boult to breaking point.
England talisman Ben Stokes quit the 50-over format last month citing an “unsustainable” workload, while South Africa’s Quinton De Kock quit Test cricket last year.
However, all three have found time to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the forerunner of the twenty-two lucrative “domestic leagues” that are now spreading around the world.
“The decisions Quinton De Kock, and especially Trent Boult, have taken point to a future of shorter international careers and more players happy to be part of the gig economy,” tweeted commentator Harsha Bhogle.
“With young families, it’s not easy to play both international cricket leagues and T20.”
Mushroom franchise cricket, including upcoming leagues in the UAE and South Africa, is making it an easy choice for some players.
Bhogle said it would be unfair to criticize players who prioritize franchise cricket for “greed and opportunism”.
“Remember cricketers end their playing careers when most others are entering their prime,” he added. “And we change jobs that offer more money and comfort, right?”
Some West Indies players have effectively turned themselves into twenty-20 freelancers, earning far more from exclusive cricket than they could have playing international cricket.
Uncertainty about the availability of their key players has frustrated West Indies coach Phil Simmons ahead of this year’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.
“This hurts. There’s no other way to put it,” an exasperated Simmons said Wednesday.
“But what can you do? I don’t think I should ask people to play for their countries.”
NZC chief executive David White ruled out more New Zealand cricketers following Boult’s lead.
“They’re still talking about Test cricket – and performing for New Zealand – as incredibly important,” White told the Cricinfo website.
“The other thing is that if you’re going to get a big offer from a big league, you have to be a successful international cricketer.”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) discussed the rise of T20 leagues at its annual general meeting in Birmingham last month, but anyone looking to them for leadership may be disappointed.
The governing body has put the onus on member boards to find the balance between domestic and bilateral cricket to better manage the player load.
