At what point does loyalty become stubbornness? It’s an uncomfortable question the Black Caps may have to answer over the coming month.
After the Black Caps named a bulked-up 19-man touring group to head to Ireland and England later this month, Tom Blundell’s presence as the sole specialist wicketkeeper is a huge vote of confidence in the 35-year-old, despite two lean years.
In a way, there is no surprise Blundell has held his spot as the first-choice test gloveman.
Even with Rob Walter having succeeded Gary Stead as coach, the selectors still prefer to give players one too many chances than one too few.
But despite loyalty and continuity being such key pillars of New Zealand’s cricketing success of the past decade, Blundell’s continued selection will lead to questions.
As a test specialist, chances to find form at the highest level are few and far between considering the proliferation of white-ball cricket in the modern calendar.
Batting averages of 23.3 in 2024 and 11.66 in 2025 show that Blundell is in serious need of a critic-silencing tour north.
Most tellingly, his career average has fallen to just over 33, having at one point been over 40 – a figure that makes for worrying reading when considering Blundell will likely bat at No 6 and be expected to produce the returns of a specialist batter.
However, New Zealand selection calls come down to far more than statistics. And when considering his last three first-class matches for Wellington returned three half-centuries – two of which being scores in the 90s – Black Caps selection manager Gavin Larsen said there was no hesitation in backing Blundell to head north.
“He’s in a good space,” Larsen told the Herald. “Tom’s form was a bit lumpy for a while, and understandably the focus comes on – that’s the nature of international cricket and sport.
“You want your top players to be challenged, and that’s healthy. But he responded really well, Rob [Walter] and I were really pleased with his form through the domestic season.
“He’s our incumbent, and we’re very pleased to select him now.”
That doesn’t mean Blundell shouldn’t look over his shoulder, though.
After he suffered a hamstring injury in the series-opening test against the West Indies in Christchurch last year, Blundell could only watch as Canterbury wicketkeeper Mitch Hay more than took his chance on debut at the Basin Reserve.
The 25-year-old produced a test-high score of 61, and kept wicket admirably as the Black Caps won inside three days. However, once Blundell was passed fit for the series finale in Tauranga, he returned to the XI immediately.
Now, though, the presence of Hay as well as Otago’s Max Chu – said to be the best pure gloveman in the country – will be all the incentive Blundell needs to hold his spot, a challenge that his coach welcomes more than anyone.
“I’d expect there to be pressure on every role,” Walter professed. “The team doesn’t operate well if there isn’t pressure on players in the position. It makes everyone better, healthy competition is never a bad thing.
“Tom finished off the season really strong, domestically. He played a wonderful brand of cricket, back to his best in the four-dayers and the shorter stuff before that.
“And he falls back on some significant success from the last time he was in the UK. That experience will be invaluable.”
If anything, Walter’s mention of significant success against England is an understatement.
Over 40% of his test career runs have come against England at an average of nearly 60. In England, that number is closer to 70.
That record, as well as squad balance saw the Black Caps double down on fast bowlers for England and Ireland, and Blundell as the only wicketkeeper in the squad, with captain Tom Latham to provide cover if needed.
Arguably, though, one of the unquantifiable reasons for Blundell’s selection is the role he plays off the field.
Even though he was ruled out of facing the West Indies in Wellington, Blundell remained with the squad to help Hay navigate his first test.
And with those aspects all thrown together, the selectors are unequivocally behind Blundell returning to form over the next month.
“He’s a top man, a great guy within the unit,” Larsen said. “That was no surprise at all.
“Equally, we were really pleased with Mitch’s debut. But [we have] 100% confidence in him delivering.
“He’s proven he has ‘big test match moment’ temperament, and we’re going to need every piece of that with what’s in front of us.”
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.