So close to memorable - how the Black Caps rated this season
Sunday, 6 April 2025
ANALYSIS: A second stunning upset over India ‘at home’ would have made for a memorable season by the Black Caps.
Gary Stead’s troops fell short of a Champions Trophy win last month which could have seen their season judged as the best in their history, and would have allowed the coach to ride off into the sunset with his status at an all-time high.
Instead, a highly meritorious runner-up spot was still another feather in his cap, and an indication that the New Zealand side are still capable of matching it with the financial superpowers of the game, despite some of the best players in the country’s history having hung up their boots in recent years.
There were disappointments too - the inaugural World Test Championship victors lost consecutive matches away to a Sri Lankan side that shouldn’t have been superior, and Brendon McCullum continued to be a bogeyman as a much-anticipated home test series turned into a fizzer.
Chief cricket writer Ian Anderson puts the microscope over the highs and lows from the Black Caps over the 2024/25 season.
TEST CRICKET
Highlight: The series win in India is likely to assume top spot in New Zealand’s most meritorious campaign for years to come.
Many years prior to the stunning 3-0 upset, the national side had scored historic test series victories in Australia and England, setting the benchmark along with the home triumph over the mighty West Indies at home at the start of the 1980s.
But neither of those away triumphs came at a time when the old foes were anywhere near peak strength - unlike India, who had won 18 consecutive home series over 12 years before the Black Caps landed, without their best batter.
Minus an injured Kane Williamson, a 3-0 series result was widely predicted - but in favour of the hosts and the top-ranked side, who seemed to be on an uninterrupted path to the World Test Championship final.
But the outcome was immediately turned on its head on a delayed day one of the first test in Bengaluru, when home skipper Rohit Sharma strangely opted to bat, only to see his much-vaunted charges rolled for 46 as Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke relished conditions they never expected.
The next two pitches were designed to suit India’s brilliant spin attack - but Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel and Glenn Phillips got the upper hand as New Zealand’s bowlers ruled the roost throughout.
Lowlight: Losing the following series at home to England shortly after returning within two matches was therefore an incredible letdown.
While another sweep to miraculously push them into another WTC final was more clinging hope than realistic goal, the visitors arrived here following a 2-1 series defeat in Pakistan, as they fell into a tailspin after scoring close to a million in the first test.
Yet ‘Bazball’ seems to have a kryptonite effect on the Black Caps, as Harry Brook rampaged to a big century in Christchurch and smashed them around the Basin Reserve too, leaving Tim Southee’s swansong in Hamilton as a hollow consolation.
WHITE-BALL CRICKET
Highlight: After making a horrendous hash of the T20 World Cup last year, New Zealand’s reputation of being a constant contender for the latter stages of limited-overs tournaments was teetering a tad ahead of the Champions Trophy.
But after doing everything wrong in the West Indies, the Black Caps got it all spot on in Pakistan - and the UAE.
A string of warm-up wins set themselves up for results that counted versus the hosts and Bangladesh, and they shrugged off an inconsequential group defeat to title favourites India to take care of South Africa in the semifinals, before another major ICC title win over India proved a step too far in the final.
On return home, a vastly-different squad made Pakistan look third-rate - which wasn’t that difficult, given the woefulness of the touring side.
But it was a Black Caps outfit without a handful of first-choice players, wanted instead for Indian Premier League duties, along with an absent Williamson and an injured Matt Henry.
It showed that the national side continues to build depth, while Tim Seifert, Finn Allen and to a lesser extent Jimmy Neesham returned from the wilderness to make for some intriguing selection issues ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.
HOW KEY PLAYERS FARED
Tim Southee: Began the season as national captain in all formats, ended it in December when he played the last of 394 games for the Black Caps across three formats.
After Neil Wagner’s acrimonious farewell the previous season, it didn’t make any sense he was selected for all three tests against England, who treated him with some disdain.
But the Northern Districts right-armer deserved to be remembered as a superb bowler for many years and a wonderful servant to the national side.
Will O’Rourke: The Canterbury quick made his test debut last February, eased into the arena against a third-strength Proteas team in Mt Maunganui.
He rapidly displayed his mouth-watering promise, setting a new mark for a NZ bowler on test debut with match figures of 9-93. There were eight wickets in the first test versus Sri Lanka in Galle, seven in the shock of India in Bengaluru and 10 in the series against England.
The 23-year-old has also been part of the ODI and T20I sides, and managing his workload is an imperative focus.
Our greatest fast bowler, Sir Richard Hadlee, said he didn’t want to see O’Rourke play the shortest format.
“We’ve got to keep him in New Zealand as a test bowler - we don’t really want to see franchise cricket pinching him around the world.
“So I think New Zealand Cricket really need to be very conscious of that - I’m sure they are. He’s a test bowler that we need, as we go through now a change in our attack,” Hadlee said in September.
“He can be the front man - he’s a rare breed.”
Kane Williamson: The season ended with legitimate doubts over how much more batting brilliance the 34-year-old will bring for the Black Caps.
Made a wonderful ton in the Champions Trophy semifinal, but then made himself unavailable for Pakistan’s white-ball visit and seems set to miss the two tests in Zimbabwe mid-year while taking on a taxing workload in England.
Rachin Ravindra: A result-defining century in the first test win over India again emphasised his undisputed talent.
But red-ball returns dropped off later in the season, as he battled to mix his fluency and aggression with lengthy stays at the crease.
He made two outstanding tons in the Champions Trophy, yet hasn’t found an obvious T20 place yet ahead of next year’s World Cup.
Mitchell Santner: After taking just one wicket from 66 overs through two tests in Sri Lanka, it seemed like his red-ball international career may be up, aged 32.
But enlisted for the spinning deck in Pune in the second test against India, the left-arm tweaker produced one of the most remarkable performances, with match figures of 13-157 bettered only twice in NZ’s test history.
When next called upon for a test, he took 7-92 in a win over England in his hometown of Hamilton, and after taking over the captaincy of the white-ball side, was excellent throughout his team’s Champions Trophy campaign.
Devon Conway: The top-order bat was never going to be able to maintain his astounding early days of international cricket, when he averaged more than 50 in each format.
Yet his drop in form has been precipitous at times, casting doubt over whether he will be a first-choice selection next season and worthy of a casual contract.
Matt Henry: Was brilliant in Bengaluru and constantly troubled England’s buccaneering batters back home.
Took five wickets against India in group play at the Champions Trophy, and the injury which forced him to miss the final was a hammer blow equivalent to losing Trent Boult or Tim Southee at their peak, such was the mastery displayed throughout the season.
HOW THE COACH FARED
Gary Stead seems likely to have had his last match in charge.
The head coach since 2018 received a second contract extension two years ago, and he can point to the test triumphs in India and making the Champions Trophy final as justification for his continual backing by New Zealand Cricket.
The measured Cantabrian has never had a cosy relationship with Black Caps fans; some of whom claim his approach has been too conservative.
But none of that will have ever bothered the 53-year-old, who won a WTC final, lost an ODI World Cup final in the most unfortunate of manners, and guided his troops into a T20 World Cup final during his reign.
His critics will say that Stead was handed the greatest collection of players in our cricketing history when he took over from Mike Hesson, but over the past year he’s had to continue the transition from that ‘Golden Generation’ and has overseen some remarkable results while introducing a handful of players who show signs of being capable of strong international careers.