Black Caps: Mitchell Santner turns down huge Australian T20 deal to commit to New Zealand captaincy, test schedule
At a time when international cricketers are having to choose between their clubs or countries, Black Caps white ball captain Mitchell Santner knows where his loyalties lie.
As one of the world’s premier T20 cricketers, the 34-year-old was offered a lucrative offer from Australian Big Bash League side the Adelaide Strikers, believed to be worth six figures a year for two seasons, but has turned it down.
Because New Zealand Cricket’s (NZC) master agreement with the New Zealand Cricket Players Association dictates players on central contracts must be available for the Super Smash at domestic level, the crowded January window – which features South Africa’s SA20 and the UAE’s ILT20 as well as the Big Bash – has become a sticking point.
But considering accepting that offer, or any from an Australian side, would have meant handing back his NZC central contract, Santner has instead put his focus into the Black Caps’ upcoming schedule, notably in test cricket.
“When you look ahead to the summer we’ve got, India here for white ball and tests and Australia away – there’s not many bigger than that – it’s quite an exciting time,” Santner explained to the Herald. “I’d like to still be part of that.”
“The offer was good, I’m not going to lie. They knew it would have to be a good offer for me to entertain it with contracting and what would come up.
“I did entertain the thought of it, but coming back to what we’ve got coming up, even if I’m not going to play every game of test cricket, I still feel like there’s a role for me.”
If there was any barometer for the size of the contract Santner said no to, the Strikers have just forked out over $500,000 to sign former England test captain Ben Stokes on a one-year deal.
Considering Santner’s place in the Black Caps’ test plans is solely dependent on conditions, at a time when spin is becoming more and more marginalised, his commitment to his side is all the more impressive.
Since taking on the white ball captaincy in late 2024, Santner’s game has gone to another level individually, while also leading the Black Caps to the finals of the Champions Trophy, and T20 World Cup.
However, after dialogues with NZC suggested accepting the Big Bash deal could have meant handing over the reins of the white ball team, Santner makes no bones about why he said no.
“I don’t want to give up captaincy,” he affirmed. “If that was part of the deal, it was a no brainer for me.
“There were chats that it could have worked. But for me, sitting without a central contract and trying to captain, I don’t know if that would sit right at this stage.
“I didn’t seek out to be captain or anything like that. But the more I’ve done it now, we’ve got a really good group in all formats, I’m really enjoying it, probably more than I thought I would.
“We’ve got a World Cup next year, a T20 World Cup in New Zealand the year after. That’s something I still want to be part of. And if I’m still leading the team then, awesome.”
Santner wouldn’t be the first Black Cap to hand back his central contract to chase riches in the shortest format.
In 2022, Trent Boult handed back his deal to chase opportunities around the world, and sign a casual playing agreement, effectively leaving him free to turn out for the Black Caps when it aligned with his T20 schedule.
In the years since, the likes of Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, Tim Seifert and Finn Allen have followed suit.
While in the past, players on casual deals have been painted out to be mercenaries, the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.
Despite going casual in 2024, Conway hardly missed a game for New Zealand, and even went back onto a central deal this year to affirm his commitment to the Black Caps’ test calendar.
While the likes of Nicholas Pooran and Heinrich Klaasen have retired from playing for the West Indies and South Africa respectively to chase T20 contracts, NZC’s casual deals have effectively allowed players to have their cake and eat it too.
As the leader of the white ball side, Santner has an appreciation of the reality that’s currently in place, and how casual contracts have allowed the Black Caps to remain competitive.
“They’re massive. When they first came out, it was a bit like guys were turning their back on New Zealand. It was a bit niggly.
“But now, we have to work with them. We’ve seen it work with the T20 boys, coming back and still playing big games for New Zealand and still want to be part of the group.
“There’s no judgment with guys taking casual deals. We aren’t going to keep up with the money for some of these other opportunities going around.
“If it is a casual contract, that’s the way to keep guys invested and playing for New Zealand; that’s what we want.”
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.