Brendon McCullum to quit Black Caps, last match will be in February

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 13: Brendon McCullum of New Zealand speaks to the team before start of play after tea during day one of the second Test match between Australia and New Zealand at WACA on N

Brendon McCullum will today outline plans for his final hurrah from New Zealand cricket.

The Herald understands the New Zealand captain is expected to confirm what has been speculated for months: that the two Australian tests in February will be his last, and he won't be going to the world T20 in India in March.

It is understood McCullum won't be playing a full book of limited-overs internationals against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, which are to fill the international stage from Boxing Day in Christchurch through to the end of January.

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McCullum, who formally took charge of New Zealand in all three formats on the tour to South Africa at the start of 2013, will play his 100th test against Australia at the Basin Reserve starting on February 12, and will end with the second match of that rubber in Christchurch, from February 20.

McCullum will be the first player to play 100 successive tests and his gradual departure in the coming weeks will pave the way for champion batsman Kane Williamson to take charge, assuming he wants the job.

There was an unintended passing of the baton before and after New Zealand's five-wicket win over Sri Lanka at Seddon Park, Hamilton, which ended yesterday.

Image 1 of 17: Debuted as a kid in 2002. Photo / Getty Images

As McCullum had fulfilled his pre and post-first test captaincy press conference obligations in Dunedin, it seemed pointless putting him in front of the media again last Thursday, three days after that match had ended to preview the Hamilton test. Williamson stepped in.

Brendon McCullum, left, congratulates Kane Williamson, right. It is expected that McCullum will hand over the captaincy to Williamson. Photo / Getty Images

After the test ended yesterday, it was Williamson, on the back of his man-of-the-match winning unbeaten 108 - and rise to the top of the International Cricket Council world test batting rankings - who was the voice sought by the media, not McCullum.

In the unlikely event of Williamson being reluctant to take the job, focussing instead on his batting, the only two realistic candidates for the job would be wicketkeeper BJ Watling and opener Tom Latham.

Senior seamer Tim Southee is an increasingly influential voice within the team, but fast bowlers are rarely appointed captains.

McCullum has recently come under fire for his testimony at the perjury trial of Chris Cairns. Cairns was found not guilty in November despite accusations from McCullum that he had fixed matches.