IND vs NZ: "Martin Guptill Wants To Fight His Way Back": Black Caps Coach Gary Stead

Published - 16 Nov 2022, 03:23 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:14 AM

Martin Guptill. Credits: BCCI

Martin Guptill’s withdrawal from the Black Caps was influenced by a look ahead to next year’s one-day international World Cup.

The veteran opener was dropped from New Zealand’s 15-man squad to face India in three T20s and three ODIs, beginning with the first T20 in Wellington on Friday.

Given that hard-hitting 23-year-old Finn Allen and Devon Conway were once again chosen to bat first and second respectively, Guptill’s chances of competing at a fourth ODI World Cup look slim.

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At a press conference on Tuesday in Christchurch, Black Caps coach Gary Stead emphasized that Guptill still had goals of playing for his nation and making a comeback.

The 36-year-path old’s selection was still open, but Allen has unmistakably surpassed him in the standings and is the player the Black Caps want to start the ODI World Cup in India in 2014, which gets underway in October.

“From our perspective it is that ability to keep looking forward and seeing, crystal ball gazing a little bit into what we think it might look like in a year’s time [at the World Cup],” Stead said about Guptill’s demotion.

“On this occasion, we’ve gone with Finn and are giving him that opportunity to bat at the top of the order.”

Martin Guptill is the highest T20I run-scorer for the Black Caps:

Since making his debut in 2009, Guptill has excelled as a batsman for New Zealand in white-ball cricket. He has scored the third-most ODI runs for his nation (7346), behind only Ross Taylor (8607) and Stephen Fleming (8007). With 3531 runs, he leads the Black Caps in T20I run-scoring.

Trent Boult, who was let go from his national contract in August, is another seasoned Black Cap who won’t be playing against India.

After failing to appear in a game in the T20 World Cup in Australia, Guptill’s future in T20 Internationals has already been written. When skipper Kane Williamson was rested, he only participated in one game of the warm-up T20 tri-series in Christchurch, batting at position three against Bangladesh.

Guptill was understandably disappointed by his lack of selection for the Indian series, according to Stead. He’d made it plain that he wanted to compete internationally and work his way back into the selection mix.