Watling holds the New Zealand Test dismissals record with 249 catches (excluding 10 as a fielder) and eight stumpings — the best numbers of any current Test keepers. Watling’s batting statistics are equally eye-catching: with eight Test centuries to his name and New Zealand records for the fourth and fifth-highest partnerships: 362 with Brendon McCullum against India at the Basin Reserve in 2014, and 365* with current captain Kane Williamson against Sri Lanka at the same ground a year later.
He is just the ninth Test keeper to score a double hundred and was the first to do so against England, when his Player of the Match performance helped win a dramatic Test against England at Bay Oval in November 2019. He also featured in another New Zealand record-partnership in that match as he and Mitchell Santner put on 261 for the seventh wicket.
“I’ve put a lot of hard work in. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the journey so far and can hopefully finish on a high. You do get a bit of a rest batting down in the middle order, which is quite enjoyable. You get a break between innings. Opening is very tough, having to field for potentially 140 overs and going straight out and bat, which is dreadful. So I don’t miss that at all. Yeah, you do keep in some harsh conditions, like in India. I look back at the challenges of having to become a keeper, to make sure I was up to the international standards. I thoroughly enjoyed putting my time into that as well as my batting,” said Watling.
“I still look back at one of the West Indies trips [in 2014], and for me, that was the greatest trip of all time. But there’s been many more. Wins overseas are pretty special, and winning in the UAE against Pakistan [in 2018] was a fantastic series to be a part of, and to beat them in neutral — but home conditions for them — was quite a pleasing trip,” he added.
If Watling plays all three Tests on the upcoming tour, two against England (June 2-6 and 10-14) and the ICC World Test Championship Final against India on June 18-22, he will surpass Adam Parore’s record of most Tests as a New Zealand keeper at 67. Watling played his entire domestic career for Northern Districts featuring in 91 First-Class matches, 62 T20 games, and 90 List A fixtures for the Major Association.
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