Trent Boult released from New Zealand contract: "Family has always been the biggest motivator"

In a move which bears considerable significance across the international cricket landscape, Boult will now see his involvement with the Blackcaps "significantly reduced"

Trent Boult has been released from his New Zealand central contract after expressing a desire to spend more time with his family and made more room in his schedule for franchise cricket.

Boult, 33, has played 215 times for his country across cricket's formats over the course of the past 11 years and is widely regarded as one of the finest bowlers in the world.

However, as he approaches the twilight years of his career, he has made the choice to rebalance his workload.

In a move which bears considerable significance across the international cricket landscape, Boult will now see his involvement with the Blackcaps "significantly reduced".

^{Trent Boult has been released from his New Zealand central contract [Getty Images]}

The announcement on Wednesday came after a series of negotiations between New Zealand Cricket and the left-armer, and in a statement Boult explained why he had come to the decision.

"This has been a really tough decision for me and I'd like to thank NZC for their support in getting to this point," he said. "Playing cricket for my country was a childhood dream and I'm so proud of everything I've been able to achieve with the Blackcaps.

"Ultimately this decision is about my wife Gert and our three young boys. Family has always been the biggest motivator for me and I feel comfortable with putting it first and preparing ourselves for life after cricket."

Boult, who has an Indian Premier League contract with Rajasthan Royals, is expected to be picked up by either the new International T20 League in the UAE or South Africa's latest attempt at a franchise tournament, both of which are due to have their inaugural seasons in early 2023. 

He will continue to represent his country, and is very likely to be selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia in October.

Boult's decision is just the latest in a series of examples of players picking and choosing their international availabilitity to suit their lifestyles, after two and a half trying years of touring during a pandemic. 

Quinton de Kock retired from Test cricket earlier this year, though he remains available for South Africa in white-ball formats, while Ben Stokes chose to step away from ODIs to focus on Tests and T20.

^{Boult is prioritising his family and availability for T20 franchise leagues [AFP via Getty Images]}

NZC chief executive David White said of Boult's request: “We respect Trent’s position. He's been completely honest and up-front with us about his reasoning and, while we're sad to be losing him as a fully-contracted player, he leaves with our best wishes and our sincere thanks.

"Trent's made a massive contribution to the Blackcaps since his Test debut in late 2011 and is now considered one of the best multi-format cricketers in the world. We’re very proud of what he’s achieved."

"We've had several conversations and I know Trent understands that, in terms of selection, NZC will continue to make a priority of those players with either central or domestic contracts."