Trent Boult, the fast bowler, is set to make his return to one-day international cricket after nearly a year’s absence. He has secured a place in New Zealand’s 15-member squad for a four-match series against England in September, acting as a buildup to the upcoming World Cup.

Having declined a national contract the previous year, Boult had refrained from participating in the format since the 3-0 series loss to Australia in Cairns last September. Nonetheless, the 34-year-old is gearing up to compete at the World Cup in India and will use the series against England, commencing in Cardiff on September 8, to shake off any rust.

Fellow fast bowler Kyle Jamieson has also earned his place in the squad under the captaincy of Tom Latham after recovering from back surgery, confirmed New Zealand Cricket.

“Kyle’s rehabilitation following back surgery has been diligent, and we are excited to have him back in the mix for both the Twenty20 squads and the ODI series against England,” stated coach Gary Stead in a media release.

The absence of all-rounders Mark Chapman and Jimmy Neesham is noted, as they await the impending arrival of their first children. Kane Williamson, meanwhile, will join the team during the England tour for training and continued recovery following surgery for a ruptured knee ligament in April.

Michael Bracewell, an all-rounder, remains unavailable for selection as he continues his recovery journey post a ruptured Achilles surgery in June. New Zealand is scheduled to announce their World Cup squad in early September and participate in a final ODI warm-up series in Bangladesh later that month.

Furthermore, the Black Caps have unveiled an extended T20 squad for a three-match series against the UAE starting next week, followed by a four-match series against England from August 30.

New Zealand ODI Squad:
Tom Latham (capt), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Will Young.

Former Black Caps coach Mike Hesson has expressed concerns regarding pacer Trent Boult’s contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC), stating that it is “untidy” and “will open a can of worms.” Boult had given up his New Zealand contract last August to prioritize spending time with his family and participating in franchise cricket worldwide. While Boult features in the IPL and is set to play in the inaugural season of United States Major League Cricket, he was not included in NZC’s recent central contract list. However, the board has offered him a casual playing agreement.

Hesson believes that the presence of flexible contracts creates an untidy situation when dealing with a large number of contracts, potentially leading to further complications in the future. He suggests that as T20 leagues continue to grow globally, NZC might have to offer different contracts to players based on their individual circumstances. Hesson also acknowledges that while the flexi contract might work well for Boult and NZC, it raises concerns and challenges for the overall system.

Former New Zealand batter Craig McMillan shares Hesson’s displeasure with Boult’s contract, mentioning that Boult had previously made the decision to focus on T20 franchises and not international cricket. McMillan finds it difficult to reconcile Boult’s desire to have it both ways, considering his prior commitment to the T20 format. He also expresses concerns about players selectively choosing when to play for New Zealand, which could create a sense of disparity within the team.

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Seamer Trent Boult, despite not having a national contract, could make a comeback for New Zealand at the upcoming ODI World Cup, according to Black Caps coach Gary Stead on Thursday.

Last year, Boult opted out of his New Zealand Cricket contract, allowing him to participate in the lucrative Big Bash League in Australia. He has not been included in the list of players offered a central deal this year, instead signing a “casual playing agreement” with New Zealand Cricket.

Stead expressed hope that Boult would resume his potent partnership with New Zealand Test captain Tim Southee at the 50-overs World Cup in India, set to begin in October.

“We are having positive conversations with Trent, and he has indicated his availability for the World Cup,” Stead told reporters. “Considering he is one of the best ODI bowlers in the world, it’s highly likely that he would be part of our squad unless there is an injury.”

At 33 years old, Boult is recognized as one of the premier ODI bowlers, having taken 187 wickets at that level, as well as an additional 74 in Twenty20 cricket for New Zealand.

Following his release from the central contract last year, Boult was excluded from the New Zealand squad for this year’s drawn home Test series against England and the 2-0 victory over Sri Lanka, despite representing the Black Caps in the 2022 Twenty20 World Cup.

Stead mentioned that Boult, who has 317 Test wickets to his name, could still make a return to the Black Caps’ Test squad for the upcoming home series against South Africa and Australia in the following year.

“The discussions about that are still ongoing. Trent has commitments to other leagues, so we are working through the details and what it would mean,” Stead added.

India vs New Zealand’s 2nd T20I match will begin on Friday.

In August, Bolt withdrew himself from the New Zealand Cricket Board’s central contract. At that time, the board had said that in the future, priority will be given to the cricketers who are in the central and domestic contracts for the selection of the team. That’s why Bolt has been dropped this time. Guptill was in New Zealand’s World Cup squad but did not get a chance to play any matches. This experienced batsman has been dropped mainly to give opportunities to newcomers.

“When Trent pulled out of his NZC contract in August, we indicated that players on central or domestic contracts would be given priority and that’s what happened here,” said Kiwi coach Gary Stead. We’re all aware of Trent’s world-class skills, but at this time—as we prepare for more global events, we want to give others opportunities and get experienced. ‘

In the recently concluded T20 World Cup, New Zealand started the innings with Devon Conway and Finn Allen. Allen, who scored 1 century, 2 fifties, and 564 runs at a strike rate of 165.39 in 23 matches, will also be with Conway in the India series. On the other hand, pacer Adam Milne has been called up in both formats in place of Trent Boult. After 2017, he is getting a chance to play ODIs. Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson were not considered due to back injuries.

New Zealand ODI squad: Kane Williamson (captain), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Tom Latham, Matt Henry.

The 33-year-old, who has played 70 tests and 137 limited overs internationals since 2011, will continue to play for his country but have a “significantly reduced role”, NZC said. “This has been a really tough decision for me … playing cricket for my country was a childhood dream and I’m so proud of everything I’ve been able to achieve,” Boult said in an NZC statement.

“Ultimately this decision is about my wife Gert and our three young boys. The family has always been the biggest motivator for me and I feel comfortable with putting it first and preparing ourselves for life after cricket.” Boult and Tim Southee have been one of the most feared strike partnerships in international cricket over the last decade, helping New Zealand to the inaugural World Test title last year and the finals of the last two 50-overs World Cups.

The left-arm quick has taken 317 test wickets, 169 in ODIs, and a further 62 in T20s. Boult will make him available for domestic leagues, NZC said and had accepted that his decision would have an impact on his international career. “I still have a big desire to represent my country and feel I have the skills to deliver at the international level,” Boult added.

“However, I respect the fact that not having a national contract will affect my chances of selection.” While top cricketers have always spent plenty of time away from home, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has meant longer stints in more arduous conditions over the last couple of years.

“We respect Trent’s position,” said NZC chief executive David White.”He’s been completely honest and up-front with us about his reasoning and, while we’re sad to be losing him as a fully-contracted player, he leaves with our best wishes and our sincere thanks.”