Veteran New Zealand pacer Neil Wagner has retired from international cricket, ending his 64-Test career and as the nation's fifth-highest wicket-taker with 260 scalps. Wagner was selected for the two-Test series against Australia starting in Wellington on Thursday, but was told by the selectors that he would not play in the opening and second matches in Christchurch.
He will then be dropped from the squad ahead of the second Test in Christchurch. This meant his departure from the international cricket scene, leaving behind a legacy of 260 Test wickets, which ranks fifth on New Zealand's all-time charts. Furthermore, his astonishing strike rate of 52.7 is surpassed only by legendary Sir Richard Hadlee among New Zealanders with more than 100 of his Test wickets.
Originally from South Africa, he moved to Dunedin in 2008 to join Otago in domestic cricket. He then moved to Papamoa in 2018, playing in the Northern Division. His Test debut came against the West Indies at North Sound in 2012, and five years later, against the same team, he achieved career best figures of 7 for 39 in a Test match in Wellington. did.
“It's been an emotional week,” the South African-born 37-year-old said on Tuesday. “It's not easy to walk away from something you've given so much to and achieved so much, but now it's time for others to step up and take this team forward.”
He announced his retirement alongside New Zealand head coach and selector Gary Stead at a press conference at Wellington's Basin Reserve. Wagner made it clear that although he intends to play first-class cricket, he believes it is time to say goodbye to Test matches.
Wagner also played a major role in New Zealand's bid to win the inaugural ICC World Test Championship title, picking up three wickets in the team that defeated India by eight wickets at Southampton in 2021. “Sometimes people say that thinking about retirement kind of messes you up,” he added. “I thought it was the right time to step down and have other guys come in and do what we've been doing as a group for several years and obviously grow that offense.
“It's never easy. It's an emotional road. It's a big roller coaster, but now is a good place to pass that baton and for the rest of us to take over that Black Cap and hopefully move their legacy forward.” It's time to leave it behind.''
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