Martin Guptill must be brought back into New Zealand side-eyeing the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup 2023 which will be played in India said former Kiwi keeper-batter Ian Smith on April 18, 2023.
Guptill, 36, who is just two matches short of playing his 200th ODI, was left out of the New Zealand side which toured India for the white-ball series in January this year. Chief coach Gary Stead had indicated in November last year while announcing the squad of the white-ball series against India, that Guptill’s era had virtually ended.
Stead also pointed out that the success of Finn Allen at the top had meant that the veteran opener had to make way for the youngster. But then Allen had a very ordinary ODI series against India — he scored 39, 5, and 2 in the three matches in January.
Citing this and the fact that captain Kane Williamson is virtually ruled out of the ODI World Cup after injuring his knee in the first match of the IPL 2023, Ian Smith said that Martin Guptill needs to be brought back.
“I get where they’re (selectors) going with Finn Allen but you’ve got to score runs. I’m sorry, he (Allen) just has to show some form for me. I still go back to Martin Guptill. Is his time over? Is he done? Should he just be put out to pasture? I do not know.
I probably would have thought yes before Kane Williamson became unavailable with all that experience, all that knowledge, I might have said yes about Martin Guptill. I’m having second thoughts now because Finn Allen ain’t doing it for me,” Smith was quoted as saying by SEN Radio on Tuesday.
I Like The Fact That Conway Has That Opportunity To Face The Maximum Balls: Ian Smith
Kane Williamson suffered a serious knee injury while fielding during his franchise Gujarat Titans’ match against Chennai Super Kings and returned back home for surgery and will most likely be ruled out of the ODI World Cup in India.
With Taylor retiring, the New Zealand top-order looks thin barring Devon Conway, who is going great guns in the IPL 2023 with Chennai Super Kings.
“If you look at a player like Conway — who’s tearing it up too in the IPL — you are really asking him to see off a new ball but belt it to the fence at the same time. There is risk in that, no doubt about it. In 50-over cricket, my late, great friend Martin Crowe said, ‘Always let your best batsman face the most deliveries’. I mean, that’s his stock-in-trade; let him face the most deliveries, fair and simple.
I like that, I like the fact that Conway has that opportunity without Kane but it’s that one, two, three, four mix that we’re not (decided on),” Smith said.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) could also explore the return of Henry Nicholls in the opening slot, after doing the job during the 2019 World Cup.