Martin Guptill, the former New Zealand opening batsman, has expressed disappointment about his retirement from international cricket. He feels he still had more to offer the national team.
Guptill, 38, relinquished his contract in late 2022 to explore other playing opportunities. He officially announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday.
Over his career, Guptill represented the Black Caps in 367 international matches. These included 198 One Day Internationals (ODIs), 122 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), and 47 Test matches. He scored 23 international centuries across all formats.
His 14-year international career spanned from 2009 to 2022. During this time, he became New Zealand’s highest run-scorer in T20Is, amassing 3,531 runs in 122 matches.
His 7,346 ODI runs place him third on New Zealand’s all-time ODI run-scoring list. He trails only Ross Taylor and Stephen Fleming.
“I guess it is what it is, and the decisions that have been made around it. Obviously, I would have loved to have played a lot more. I feel like I had a lot more to give New Zealand Cricket and the Black Caps. But it is what it is. I’m a little bit disappointed with how it all ended, but I’ve got to move forward and move on,” Guptill was quoted by the New Zealand Herald.
Guptill’s international debut was memorable. In 2009, he became the first New Zealander to score a century on ODI debut, achieving the feat against the West Indies at Eden Park.
At the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, he etched his name in the record books again. He became the first New Zealander to score an ODI double-century in a World Cup. His unbeaten 237 runs against the West Indies in the quarterfinal at Wellington Stadium propelled New Zealand to victory.
This innings, along with his unbeaten 189 against England in Southampton in 2013 and his 180 not out against South Africa at Hamilton in 2017, rank among New Zealand’s highest individual ODI scores.
Guptill also has two T20I centuries to his name. He scored 101 not out against South Africa at East London’s Buffalo Park in 2012. Six years later, he smashed 105 off just 54 balls against Australia in Auckland.
In his 47 Test matches for New Zealand, Guptill showcased his versatility. He scored 17 half-centuries and three centuries. These centuries included 189 against Bangladesh at Seddon Park in 2010, 109 against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo’s Queens Sports Club ground in 2011, and 156 against Sri Lanka in Dunedin in 2015.
While his highest Test score of 189 came while batting at number five, Guptill always preferred opening the innings. He considered it his most effective position.
“I had the opportunity to keep batting at five, but I wanted to go back to the top. I’ve got no regrets, I gave it a good shot. I had so much fun doing it. One of my proudest moments was to get a black cap, and that sits proudly at home.”
Guptill’s fielding prowess was highly regarded. He set a high standard for the Black Caps with his spectacular catches, saves, and run-outs.
One of his most famous fielding moments was the run-out of Indian legend MS Dhoni in the 2019 World Cup semifinal. This dismissal effectively ended Dhoni’s international career.
Currently, Guptill is captaining the Auckland Aces in the Super Smash competition. He intends to continue playing T20 franchise cricket around the world.
