In a world where the white ball has taken over at the highest level, a crammed 12 months of test cricket is welcome news to Black Caps opener Devon Conway.
While recent years of the longest format have been sparse for the Black Caps and Kiwi cricket fans, the next year brings a welcome change.
Starting in Ireland later this month, the Black Caps will play 14 tests between now and the end of next March.
Pinnacle away tours to England and Australia bookend a home series against India this year, before welcoming Sri Lanka and a visiting Pakistan to start 2027.
For the players, the schedule is a welcome change after their white ball diet of the past three years. While the white ball game may be where they make their money, nothing has the prestige of test cricket.
In fact, the upcoming test schedule is so tempting, Conway has outlined he wants to end his time as an uncontracted T20 freelancer, and recommit to New Zealand Cricket (NZC) full time.
Travelling to England also takes him back to where his test career began. Five years ago, a then 29-year-old Conway made his debut after waiting out a stand-down period to qualify for the Black Caps.
The wait was worth it. Conway hammered 200 on debut, and backed it up with 80 a week later as the Black Caps took a series win, before adding 54 in the inaugural World Test Championship final against India on the same tour.
Now, on the verge of his third test tour of England, Conway is relishing the chance to kick off New Zealand’s red ball block in familiar climes.
“We’ve been wanting something like this in the calendar for a while,” he told the Herald.
“If you look at all the tours coming up, it’s a very exciting 12 months for the test squad.
“Playing in England is a different challenge, particularly as an opening batter. But playing at the grounds – Lord’s again, with all the history, it’s probably one of my favourite grounds – there’s certainly great memories.
“We haven’t played a test match at the Oval, so I’m looking forward to that challenge. And then to finish the tour at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, where we know it’s a nice place to bat if you get in, is very exciting.
“It’s another opportunity to grow my game and try to do a job for the team.”
As is usually the case with players preparing for test cricket, Conway will head north off the back of a T20 campaign, having only just returned to New Zealand after a successful season with Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League.
The Black Caps not playing in the Indian Premier League have assembled at NZC’s high-performance centre at Lincoln to prepare for their tour opener against Ireland at Stormont on May 27.
The team are attempting to recreate conditions they’ll likely get in Ireland and England, and have swapped the standard Kookaburra balls for Dukes – known to swing more and favour the bowlers.
And with a touring party of 19 announced earlier this month, competition for places has been high.
“I’m in a good space,” he continued. “We’ve had a wonderful week in Lincoln, great prep – we couldn’t have asked for better going into that trip abroad.
“It’s a unique challenge, going back into red ball is one thing, but going into the Dukes ball is another. That’s been fun.
“We’ve had some really good opportunities to face some of our ‘nasty fasties’, who’re bowling really well.”
What’s more, success in England and Ireland will also be crucial for not just Conway, but New Zealand’s ageing batting stocks.
With a year still to play in this cycle of the World Test Championship, the Black Caps have stuck to their guns in backing this current group.
After that, though, a refresh is inevitable. Of the first-choice test top six, only Rachin Ravindra is under 30.
Further complicating the matter, the next generation of test hopefuls are more than pressing their case for selection.
For Conway, while there might have been pressure on his place at the start of the home summer, two centuries in his last test have shown a player still able to dominate at the highest level.
But even with the likes of Rhys Mariu and Curtis Heaphy breathing down his neck, Conway is content with his place in the Black Caps’ best XI.
“It’s great that there’s competition, I think it’s healthy,” he professed.
“It’s a massive credit to those guys, who’re playing good cricket. I don’t look at it too much.
“I just go out there, try to be clear in my own mind, clear in what I want to do, keep making sure I’m doing the job for the team, and control what I can control.
“If I do that to the best of my ability, everything takes care of itself. All credit to them, hopefully they get an opportunity in the future when their time comes.”
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.