Latham Urges New Zealand’s Senior Players to Step Up in Williamson’s Absence
Tom Latham Calls for Increased Leadership Amid Former Captain's Partial Absence from Home Summer
New Zealand batsman Tom Latham spoke to the media on Wednesday about the upcoming summer schedule released by New Zealand Cricket. The season begins with a three-Test series against England in November, followed by white-ball series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Latham emphasized the need for senior players to take on more responsibility in the absence of former captain Kane Williamson, who will miss part of the home season. “For me, it’s a chance to step up and lead as a senior player. It’s also an opportunity for others who haven’t had leadership roles to step up,” said Latham, 32.
Williamson stepped down from his white-ball captaincy after New Zealand’s early exit from the T20 World Cup. Instead of playing for the Black Caps, he plans to spend January playing T20 franchise cricket in South Africa.
Latham, who has served as Williamson’s deputy, feels a heightened sense of duty to lead the team during this period. “It’s never great to miss a player of Kane’s calibre, but it gives others a chance to shine,” he said.
Latham acknowledged that senior players have often had to fill in when key players are either playing in the IPL or taking a rest. Though frequently stepping in as captain, Latham was overlooked for the permanent Test captaincy when Williamson resigned, with fast bowler Tim Southee chosen instead.
New Zealand has not yet named a replacement for Williamson in the white-ball formats. Latham’s T20 record might work against him if selectors decide on a single captain for both short-format teams. He was left out of New Zealand’s T20 World Cup squad, and his last T20I appearance was over a year ago.
The three-match series against England, starting in Christchurch on November 28, will be New Zealand’s only Test cricket at home this summer. This comes amid concerns that the rise of global T20 leagues is limiting opportunities for the longest format.
With 80 Test appearances, Latham joked about the evolving landscape of cricket, saying, “There’s no Test franchise stuff. So if that comes out, that’d be great. But, in reality, we need to be flexible with our skills in today’s cricket world.”
