A couple of days ago, a teary-eyed Neil Wagner decided to hang up his boots after an international career of over a decade for New Zealand. The 37-year old left-arm pacer has been an absolute warhorse for the Blackcaps over the years but he decided to call it a day, effective immediately.
By doing so, he didn’t even allow himself the chance to have a farewell Test, where he could play in front of friends, family, and his fans. This happened a couple of days prior to the start of the 2024 Australia tour of New Zealand. However, Wagner was still seen with the team, at the national anthem and then even as a substitute fielder.
Neil Wagner fielding even after retirement
So everyone’s wondering why Wagner was apart of the team and squad, even after calling it quits?! We’re here to answer that question for you in this article. Wagner announced his international retirement with immediate effect from before this Test match at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
However, as long as he’s still eligible to play for the country, players and even coaching staff will always be allowed to come on the field as a substitute, though the stats will not count in the case of any run outs or catches affected. As for Wagner, he was seen bowling in the nets, at the national anthem, and then fielding too. True commitment towards his country!
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In today’s day and age, players are refusing to play the longer formats and prefer franchise leagues over national assignments. In such a time, it was refreshing to see Wagner giving it his all even after retiring, helping his country in any and all ways possible. Can anyone get Wagner to actually leave the field?! Lol.
Wagner’s determination and passion will be sorely missed from the Black Caps and fans alike. There’s no question he was a crucial element and the heart and soul to the golden generation of New Zealand cricket that is slowly fading away.
— Sumit (@shriramjibhakt) February 29, 2024
“Wagner’s determination and passion will be sorely missed from the Black Caps and fans alike. There’s no question he was a crucial element and the heart and soul to the golden generation of New Zealand cricket that is slowly fading away,” said one user on X (formerly Twitter).
The home team was good on Day 1 of the Test at Wellington, with Australia ending at 279/9 at Stumps. Matt Henry led the bowling charge with 4/43 picking up important wickets during the day while Cameron Green contributed for the Aussies with an unbeaten 103, ending the day with 3 boundaries in an over to bring up his 2nd Test century.
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