Cricket News: World No 1 Trent Boult to be released from the central contract of NZ
Among everyday developments that are taking place in international and domestic cricket, a recent instance that can shape modern-day cricket and the way players approach it occurred when New Zealand pacer Trent Boult demanded a break from international cricket
Trent Boult retires from International cricketTrent Boult decided to take a break from international cricket for the time being and spend more time with family. Meanwhile, he will continue to play multiple T20 leagues across the globe.
Trent Boult, featuring in 78 Test matches and more than 130 white ball games, believes spending time with his family is the main driving factor behind the big decision. He is currently the number 1 in ODI bowlers' rankings after taking 169 wickets in 93 matches. He still intends to play for his country.
He said, "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."
On agreeing to release Trent Boult from his central contract, New Zealand Cricket clarified that his international career would likely be "significantly reduced". They will now move with the intent to give preference to cricketers who are contracted, either to New Zealand cricket or to different domestic boards.
"We've had several conversations and I know Trent understands that, in terms of selection, NZC will continue to make a priority of those players with either central or domestic contracts," New Zealand Cricket chief David White said.
Speaking about his future for participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, David White said that he hopes Boult will be a part of the World Cup as their tournament preparation has kept him in mind. He mentioned that the 33-year-old's decision would likely see him in global events rather than the bilateral series.
Will other stars leave the national cricket for domestic leagues?
On this announcement, Twitter exploded with divided opinions as the expansion of T20 leagues was already opined to affect international cricket. And now the Kiwi pacers' decision has looked to put fire to the debate.
Harsha Bhogle tweeted, "The decisions that Quinton de Kock, and specifically Trent Boult, have made, point to a future of shorter international careers and more players happy to be part of the gig economy. With young families, it isn't easy to play both, international cricket and T20 leagues."
Earlier, leaving international duty meant players were looking for something else as their earning source. With domestic league cricket around the globe, players feel more support in this aspect.