New Zealand paceman Neil Wagner has called time on his 64-test career, bowing out as the nation’s fifth highest wicket-taker with 260 victims.
Wagner was picked in the squad for the two-test series against Australia starting in Wellington on Thursday but was told by selectors he would not feature in either the opener or the second match in Christchurch.
“It’s been an emotional week,” the South Africa-born 37-year-old said on Tuesday.
“It’s not easy to step away from something you’ve given so much to and got so much out of, but it’s now time for others to step up and take this team forward.”
A fiery swing bowler and fan favourite, left-armer Wagner was instrumental in New Zealand’s rise to the world number one ranking and inaugural World Test Championship win in 2021.
He retires with an outstanding bowling average of 27.57 runs and a strike rate of 52, only bettered by Richard Hadlee (50) among New Zealanders to have taken more than 100 test wickets.
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