Fresh from being named as the new Black Caps head coach, Rob Walter is pragmatic towards what he describes as the biggest issue in cricket.
On Friday, the 49-year-old South African was confirmed to succeed Gary Stead across all formats as head coach of the Black Caps, on a three-and-a-half-year deal.
But with international cricket on what feels like the most significant tipping point in the sport’s history, Walter’s experience will undoubtedly see him in good stead to guide the Black Caps into the future.
Given the proliferation of short-form franchise cricket, the international game finds itself at increasing risk of being pushed into the margins.
Franchise competitions are popping up as fast as gaps in the international schedule allow – even Nepal has its own “premier league” style competition.
But with the International Cricket Council (ICC) unable to carve out dedicated windows for franchise leagues, players are increasingly torn between choosing club or country.
In that regard, New Zealand has not been spared. In 2017, Mitchell McClenaghan became the first player to opt out of a New Zealand Cricket (NZC) central contract, but by no means was he the last.
In 2022, Trent Boult triggered a wave of more players opting to be freelancers, before 2024 saw the most significant, when Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne followed suit.
And while NZC’s recent list of central contracts saw no fresh faces opt out, the issue will continue to bubble away.
Enter Walter. As former coach of South Africa’s white ball side, issues over player availability are nothing new to the man tasked with filling Stead’s shoes.
Like New Zealand, the Proteas have faced a battle to keep their best and brightest players, and were even forced to send a weekend test squad to face the Black Caps at the start of 2024.
And while NZC will never have the financial might to compete with the franchise leagues, balancing players’ want to do both, Walter believes he has the tools to ensure he can navigate the club v country divide over the coming years.
“Obviously it’s a priority, and probably the biggest challenge in the game,” Walter told the Herald.
“I do believe that the schedule over the next three-and-a-half years is kind of its own draw factor. There’s so much good stuff there as a player, so much to look forward to and want to be part of.
“That counts in our favour. Then I suppose [we need] sharp comms with each other as to how we can accommodate players, not be oblivious to the things that are pulling players away from international cricket.
“It’s not unique to New Zealand, it’s happening everywhere. The last environment I was in was no different.
“[It’s about] creating a real sense of home for the players [so] that coming back to the Black Caps is the thing they want to do – and they rush back to that, and that those that do that are going to be part of a journey that’s ultimately unprecedented.”
Walter is yet to reach out to Williamson, Conway, or any of the other uncontracted world-class players available to the Black Caps, to gauge where they stand.
Making sure players of that ilk are committed to the Black Caps will be the first step in seeing New Zealand have anywhere near the success Walter did during his tenure with South Africa.
In Walter’s time as Proteas white ball coach, South Africa emerged as one of the most exciting teams in cricket.
With a batting line-up based around quality at the top, stability through the middle and power at the end, South Africa regularly posted totals in excess of 300, culminating in a 2023 World Cup semifinal appearance and runner-up finish at the T20 World Cup one year later.
And although that might prove difficult to replicate straight away, given the divergence from the brand of cricket the Black Caps developed under Stead, Walter says there will naturally be overlap in how his new side play.
“I think the reality is that New Zealand have been playing very good cricket for a long period of time now,” he told media.
“I don’t see my job as coming in to change things significantly. I see it as adding some strength and small additions here and there.
“How you play is a byproduct of what your identity is. That’s down to the type of players and how they see the game.
“Ultimately, it’s about creating the environment for the players to play the best game for their country. That will essentially result in a more aggressive style here or there.
“But we know the game, it’s not only about aggression. It’s about understanding when to make those plays when the game requires something different of you.
“We want to keep evolving our game, because the game is evolving. We need to move with that, and potentially move ahead of it in some spots.”
That, in combination with Walter’s knowledge of the New Zealand domestic game after close to a decade with Otago and Central Districts, makes him as close to the perfect appointment as could have been made.
If there’s any blueprint for Walter to succeed in forging that identity, though, he need look no further than his predecessor.
In seven years at the helm of the Black Caps, Stead took the side from strength to strength, reached finals in every form of the game, and won the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021.
Furthermore, last year saw Stead’s Black Caps achieve an unprecedented 3-0 test series whitewash away in India.
But while Stead may never have truly received the admiration he deserved from the public, Walter is more than aware of the job he did and the platform he’s been set as a result.
“You can’t not massively respect everything he’s achieved. Beyond winning, just the way the team has grown, how the team is perceived in the public eye and perceived in the international space.
“He’s got to take a lot of credit for that. He’s part of a timeline that’s seen the game grow in New Zealand. [I have] massive respect for him.
“I’ll tap into his knowledge where possible, and build on what’s already been created.”
Coincidentally, Walter’s first assignment as Black Caps coach will come against South Africa, as part of a T20 tri-series with Zimbabwe.
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.
Daniel Vettori is the fourth Kiwi to be inducted.