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'No disrespect to New Zealand, but...': Ponting's no-nonsense verdict on Trent Boult being released from NZ contract
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting spoke in detail about Trent Boult being released from the national contract.
Earlier this month, the New Zealand Cricket released Trent Boult from his national contract, for the pacer to spend more time with his young family. Boult has taken 317 wickets in Tests and 169 in one-day internationals and with his new ball partner Tim Southee has played a major role in the recent successes of a New Zealand team which won the inaugural World Test Championship and reached the finals of the last two ODI World Cups. Boult will still be eligible to be selected for New Zealand, though it is likely priority would be given to contracted players.
Following the development, a number of former cricketers had varied opinions but former Australia captain and batting legend Ricky Ponting believes that it is ‘inevitable’ due to the amount of domestic T20 leagues coming up.
"I think it's inevitable now with the amount of T20 domestic tournaments that are popping up all around the world now," Ponting said on the ICC Review.
“It's just getting harder and harder for these guys to maintain the full schedule of international cricket.”
The former Australia skipper further said that Boult “has got to think about the financial side of the game,” suggesting that the national contracts may not be at par with what the New Zealand pacer could earn while participating in the T20 leagues across the world.
“And for someone like Trent Boult, and no disrespect to New Zealand at all, but I'm sure their national contracts are probably only reflective of maybe what he would make in one of these T20 domestic tournaments,” said Ponting.
"He's coming towards the end of his career and he's got to think about his family and the financial side of the game now, probably more than ever.
“He's right on top of his game as well in all formats, so wherever he goes and chooses to play, if it's T20 stuff that he's talking about, then he'll be in very high demand. There's no doubt about it.”
