BJ Watling

Some careers are built on statement innings; others are built quietly, one gritty rearguard at a time. BJ Watling's belonged firmly to the second category, and by the time he was done, the numbers told a story his understated reputation never quite captured. Born in Durban, South Africa, Watling moved to New Zealand at the age of 10, and it was there that his cricket career truly took shape.

A representative of the New Zealand Under-19 team at the 2004 World Cup, Watling made his first-class debut for Northern Districts later that year and took a few seasons to establish himself as one of the side's leading players. A strong 2008-09 season in the domestic one-day competition earned him a place in the Black Caps' ODI squad to face Pakistan in the UAE, though he didn't feature in a single match on that tour. His Test debut came soon after, against Pakistan in December 2009, batting as a specialist opener rather than a keeper.

For his first several years in the side, Watling was primarily a batter rather than a gloveman, in and out of the Test XI as an opener. He didn't take up the wicketkeeping gloves in Tests until New Zealand's home series against Zimbabwe in 2012, and it wasn't until 2013 that he properly cemented the role as first-choice keeper. Once established, Watling became the defining glove-man of a golden era for New Zealand cricket. His batting became synonymous with rearguard defiance, with marathon stands alongside Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson among the highlights.

Watling largely remained a Test specialist throughout his career rather than a regular in the shorter formats, playing just 28 ODIs and five T20Is in total. Watling announced his retirement in May 2021, timing it to finish with New Zealand's tour of England and the inaugural World Test Championship final, which New Zealand won, giving him the perfect send-off to a career many consider one of the most underrated in the country's cricket history.