Daniel Vettori on Indefinite Break from ODIs, Twenty20s Before ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

The former New Zealand captain has decided that his one day cricket and Twenty20 career can be put on hold and reopened perhaps in the couple of years leading up to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Daniel Vettori was replaced by Ross Taylor as New Zealand’s captain after the former stepped down from the captaincy position at the conclusion of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. The decision to relinquish the captaincy was premeditated by Vettori who gave up the Test captaincy prior to the one day tournament. However, it was not clear at the time what Vettori had in mind with regard to his own future.

Daniel Vettori, Royal Challengers Bangalore

Vettori, it appeared, was always keen on the Test career. But there is a question mark as to what New Zealand cricket should look forward to from the spinner-allrounder after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 with regard to the shorter formats of the game. New Zealand cannot really afford to lose both, the captain and the all rounder, given that their results have not been particularly remarkable of late, even though the team did make the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 semi final before they lost to Sri Lanka. In that light, New Zealand cricket or the selection panel could not possibly make the call on Vettori, except for Vettori himself.

Vettori has made his decision and it comes as little surprise that Vettori intends to step back from one day cricket. After all, Vettori has often been an advocate of less is more, reiterating that the only real problem with the fifty over format was that there were too many meaningless ODIs being arranged by boards. Vettori has been one of those few cricketers not afraid to speak their mind.

However, Vettori appears to have grown marginally monotonous with the shorter formats and with the excesses in the sport as he would describe it, Vettori describes the decision as his way of preserving and taking care of his body, and probably his mind as well, and focusing on adding to his Test career. While Vettori is not retiring from one day cricket, his proposal is to give the format a skip for the next couple of years and then review the physical shape of his body and possibly the state of his mind towards preparing for another World Cup campaign. But what makes the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 different and a unique proposition is the fact that it will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand. With the opportunity to play at home and having stayed away from the game long enough may just perhaps see a chapter of Daniel Vettori in one day cricket part 2.

Vettori captained New Zealand since the retirement of Stephen Fleming and over the years, his leadership role has been undermined by the problems within New Zealand cricket, not to mention the complications that arose out of the ICL that robbed New Zealand of several cricketers, as we’ll as injuries to key all rounders such as Jacob Oram with Vettori essentially having to make do with the resources available.

For the moment though, it is a sabbatical from one day cricket and refocus on Test cricket for the all rounder. With Ross Taylor now taking charge of matters on the field, it should be an interesting enough proposition as to whether the relinquishing of captaincy will make it hard for Vettori to challenge himself enough on the cricket field or whether the removal of the burden of responsibility will actually free Vettori to accelerate his Test accolades.