New Zealand pacer Trent Boult will be heading home instead of England, where his team will be preparing for the England Tests.
After the Indian Premier League suspension, MI pacer Trent Boult will return home instead of England, where his teammates will be preparing for the England Tests and WTC Final. Going by a statement released by the New Zealand Cricket, the 31-year-old left-armer will be back with the team, possibly in time for the second Test match against England. However, NZC have assured that if that doesn’t happen, he will be back in time for the ICC World Test Championship final.
Boult, along with New Zealand trainer Chris Donaldson, who was with the Kolkata Knight Riders, will spend about a week with their families after undergoing the mandatory two weeks in quarantine on their return before joining the Test squad in England.
New Zealand Cricket management understands Boult’s need to spend time with the family after a very stressful time inside the IPL bio-bubble and has shown full support to the pacer.
“He’s got a young family and he wanted to come home to see them – we totally support that. He is the consummate professional and we know he will prepare and get ready for the Test Championship final so we’re supportive of him.”
NZC chief executive David White was quoted as per the 1 News.
Boult and Donaldson will depart India on Friday on one of two charter flights along with the other New Zealand-based players, support staff and commentators who are returning home. They’re due back at Auckland on Saturday, which means their managed isolation will be completed by May 22.
Afterwards, Boult will spend a week at home with family before undergoing training at Mount Maunganui. Boult is expected to leave for England in early June. Other Kiwi players, Kane Williamson, Kyle Jamieson and Mitchell Santner, along with physio Tommy Simsek, will travel to England on May 11.
“We’ve worked closely with the BCCI and the IPL franchises on the various departure strategies and we’re very appreciative of their support during what is, clearly, a very challenging time. We’re also very grateful to the England and Wales Cricket Board for accommodating the early arrival of the four members of the Test squad currently in India.”
White added.
Had the IPL tournament completed its course, Boult would have been unavailable for the first Test at Lord’s, which starts on June 2 and doubtful for even the second Test due to quarantine requirements.
The New Zealand-based members of the Test squad, who are currently having training camps in Christchurch, will depart for England on May 16 and 17.
New Zealand are slated to face England in a two-match Test series starting from June 2 at London, with the second Test scheduled between June 10 to June 14 at Birmingham. Soon after the conclusion of the series against England, New Zealand will be taking on India in the World Test Championship final, which starts on June 18 at Southampton.
Trent Boult has been the spearhead of the New Zealand bowling attack for a decade and has a stellar record in Test cricket. The left-arm seamer has taken 281 wickets in 71 Tests at an average of 28.02. English conditions are extremely helpful for his swing bowling, and expectedly, he has even better numbers, picking up 21 wickets in 4 Tests at an average of 23.14. Boult’s absence could be a big blow for NZ against England, but they’ll be relieved that he will be fresher coming into the WTC final.
