Neil Wagner, a fast bowler for New Zealand, declared his retirement after finding out he would not be playing in the current Test series against Australia. Ross Taylor, a former teammate - Taylor, believes Wagner's decision was "forced."
In response to a query regarding Wagner's finger-on-the-mouth celebration following dismissal of Zubayr Hamza in his final Test match against South Africa in Hamilton, as well as a picture of him giving someone the finger as the team gathered to celebrate another wicket, Taylor said on ESPN's Around The Wicket podcast -
I think it all makes sense a little bit now. There's no sugarcoating it: I think it's a forced retirement. If you listen to Wagner's press conference, he was retiring, but it was after this last Test match [against Australia]. So he did make himself available.
Wagner was scheduled to be cut from the team following the Wellington first Test. However, William O'Rourke's injury spurred speculation about a possible recall for the second Test in Christchurch. However, New Zealand chose a fast bowler Ben Sears, who is yet uncapped.
And to see that he isn't selected... I think you do need to plan for the future, but a one-off Test against Australia in a must-win situation, I wouldn't be looking much further than Neil Wagner. And I'm sure the Australian batters are sleeping easy that he's not in the side.
~Taylor said
Wagner, according to Aaron Finch, who was also on the podcast, would have probably prevented Australia from amassing as high a total as they did in their opening half at the Basin Reserve.
"I couldn't believe Neil Wagner wasn't in the XI. I just genuinely thought that he must have been out through a niggle," Finch said. "The success he's had against Australia, particularly [against] Steven Smith over some time, you can guarantee that the last wicket partnership wouldn't have happened if Wagner was there.
Because he would have intimidated Josh Hazlewood at least. He might have stopped Cameron Green from scoring as well. I thought that was a really interesting decision.
~Finch said
Australia reached an impressive total of 383 as Green and Hazlewood put on a record 116-run partnership, the greatest 10-wicket stand for Australia against New Zealand. Australia had started the innings at 267 for 9.
It's not only his experience and the way he goes about it, but you know, the opposition, you heard [Pat] Cummins talking about the plans that they had for him.
~Taylor said
Experience plays a lot, but no, I agree with Finchy. If he comes around the wicket to Hazlewood, he might have got him away for a couple of boundaries or even a six. But I think for the prolonged time he would have attacked him for, I don't think they would have got a 100-run partnership.
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