By Alex Powell at the Basin Reserve
Even after an impressive test debut, Black Caps wicketkeeper Mitch Hay is going to have to be patient, as incumbent Tom Blundell firms for a return in Tauranga.
After Blundell was ruled out of playing his hometown test with a hamstring tear, 25-year-old Hay came into New Zealand’s XI at the Basin Reserve and top-scored for the Black Caps in his only innings.
The Canterbury gloveman made 61 runs from 93 balls to help put the Black Caps in front of the West Indies, as well as taking three catches behind the stumps, and conceding two byes – a harsh call considering the ball bounced over his head and could just as easily have been considered wides.
However, despite that display, Hay is unlikely to continue in the side if Blundell is passed fit at Bay Oval. While the Black Caps have lost bowlers Matt Henry, Nathan Smith, Mitchell Santner and now Blair Tickner, Blundell was only ruled out for the second test.
The 35-year-old has been with the side all week in Wellington, firstly as a means of helping Hay adjust in his first test, but also to prove his fitness for the third test.
Speaking on Saturday, Black Caps batting coach Luke Ronchi revealed Blundell is more than on track to play at Bay Oval, and will do so at Hay’s expense.
If there’s one person who knows what Hay will be feeling, it’s Ronchi. After changing his allegiance from Australia to New Zealand, Ronchi had to wait until he was 34 to play test cricket.
When that chance came, deputising for an injured BJ Watling in 2015, Ronchi made 88 on debut against England, but had to wait more than a year to play his second test.
And with that perspective, Ronchi detailed Hay will have to wait for his chance to become New Zealand’s first-choice wicketkeeper.
“It’s an interesting feeling,” he explained. “You go out there, and it might be your one [test].
“Mitch is a bit younger, so has a long career ahead of him. But it’s about going out there and enjoying what you’re doing.
“You understand the situation, that you have to wait sometimes – it can be frustrating. But he did everything he could out there for us.
“It’s a position that a lot of people find themselves in at times, you want to be the man playing all the time. But unfortunately, only 11 people can play at once – there’s a lot more than 11 people that want to play test cricket.
“It’s just the situation, really.”
Regardless of how well Hay did play in Wellington, his immediate exclusion for Bay Oval will lead to questions. There is a growing sense that it’s easier to earn your way into the Black Caps side than it is to play your way out of it.
For more than a decade, the success of the team – including winning the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021 – has been built on consistency in selection. Once a player is picked, they tend to be backed to succeed, and more often than not, they do.
Which is why the Blundell conundrum has become such a major talking point. Since he came into the side full-time after Watling’s retirement, Blundell’s returns have diminished.
A batting average of 58.54 in 2022 was followed by one of 36.08 in 2023. And while that second figure is respectable for a wicketkeeper, 2024 and 2025 have returned batting averages of 23.30 and 15.50, respectively.
Although it’s harsh to judge wicketkeepers on runs, Blundell playing at No 6 does require him to contribute with the bat. And while centuries are a flawed metric of judging success, Blundell has reached triple figures just twice in the last three years.
But, as Ronchi outlines, loyalty to the incumbents is what this Black Caps group will continue to prioritise.
“That’s what’s brought us success for more than a decade, having continuity in selection, it’s trusting guys,” he continued.
“Guys can be in and out of form at different periods of their careers, in different stages of a year, of a month. It’s [about] understanding what these players can give you at their best.
“That’s why this team has been so successful for a good period of time now. To chop and change a team on a whim, or on the back of small periods of time, can make a big difference in how you build a culture and trust within the group of players.
“Sometimes, you look and think you might want to do things differently. But trust in a group and culture will get you a lot further.”
The squad for the third and final test against the West Indies will likely be named on Monday.
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.