Black Caps v India: Coach Rob Walter hails Mitchell Santner’s sacrifice after rejecting Australian mega-contract
While Mitchell Santner rejecting a lucrative contract to leave New Zealand for Australia’s Big Bash League might have shocked some, Black Caps coach Rob Walter expected nothing less from his white-ball captain.
As reported by the Herald earlier this month, Santner turned down a two-year contract offer from the Adelaide Strikers – understood to be worth close to $1 million all up – to focus on being available for the Black Caps’ upcoming test schedule.
The move would have seen Santner forced to seek a casual playing agreement with New Zealand Cricket and reconsider his place as the Black Caps’ white-ball captain.
However, even with his spot in the Black Caps test side not guaranteed, Santner’s priority remains with his countrymen as they prepare for home series against India and Sri Lanka and away trips to Australia and Pakistan.
Black Caps being offered huge sums of money by franchise leagues at the expense of the Kiwi summer is nothing new.
With the likes of Finn Allen, Tim Seifert and Lockie Ferguson already on casual agreements in order to play in the Big Bash, Mark Chapman has followed suit to link with the Adelaide Strikers this summer. Adam Milne will play for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in South Africa’s SA20.
But, to his coach’s delight, Santner is one of the first to publicly say “no”.
“Obviously, I was in touch with Mitch along the way,” Walter said. “For me, it’s a measure of the man – that’s not to judge any other person.
“It sums Mitch up, being in a position to put the team first. I know what it means to him to captain his country, and everything that goes along with it, but then also his desire to be part of the test team, especially with what’s in front of him.
“Whilst it might be surprising to some, [it’s] certainly not to me, it’s just a measure of the man, really.”
On the other side of the coin, though, several other Black Caps have profited from their time in Australia.
In particular, Allen became the most expensive player in Big Bash history when he left the Perth Scorchers for the Melbourne Stars on a three-year deal worth about $740,000 per season – with the ability to rise as the league explores private equity.
Allen’s move came on the back of topping the run charts in Perth’s run to the title, as well as setting a new record for the most sixes hit in one season. Then, as a sign of his standing in the shortest format, Allen blasted a 33-ball century against South Africa to lead the Black Caps into the final of the T20 World Cup in India.
And while Walter has had to contend with players being torn between club and country in his time coaching South Africa and New Zealand, Black Caps being offered these kinds of opportunities are not something to be looked down on.
“At the end of the day, I’m chuffed when our players are recognised,” he said of Allen. “He’s a man who’s shown himself to be devastating when he gets going – he’s won lots of games for New Zealand.
“It’s the reality of the world of cricket. There’s more information that shows us that’s the way the game is moving – and has been moving for a long time.
“What excites me is the hunger and the want to play for New Zealand. They’re still hungry to play, hungry to represent and they always do it well.
“As long as we can maintain that and keep our environment strong enough to pull our players back and that they always feel like it’s home for them, that will be key for us.”
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.