Shane Bond explains why Trent Boult deserved a break between IPL 2020 and West Indies Tests

Trent Boult: The leading Kiwi pacer is coming on the back of a career-best Indian Premier League season for champions Mumbai Indians.

Former New Zealand fast bowler and current bowling coach of Indian Premier League franchise Mumbai Indians Shane Bond has opened up on how New Zealand spearhead Trent Boult has stood tall on his potential in the recently concluded 13th season of the Indian Premier League.

Playing his maiden season for Indians, Boult picked 25 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 18.28, an economy rate of 7.97 and a strike rate of 13.76 to finish the season as its third-highest wicket-taker only behind teammate Jasprit Bumrah (27) and Delhi Capitals’ Kagiso Rabada (30).

“Getting the chance to work with Boulty [Trent Boult] again was exciting. I was always a believer that there was room for improvement in his T20 game, and coming into our team, we could eke that out of him, and he was massive for us.

“He was a huge part of why we won, so hopefully we won’t have a big option and we may lose him – love to have another chance to work with him another year and keep that team of ours together because it’s pretty good,” Bond said in a media interaction hosted by NZC (New Zealand Cricket).

Shane Bond explains why Trent Boult deserved a break between IPL 2020 and West Indies Tests

Boult and five other New Zealand players are currently undergoing their quarantine period in Lincoln where they are practicing under the watchful eyes of Bond and former New Zealand captain and current head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders in Brendon McCullum.

With New Zealand set to host West Indies for three T20Is and two Tests from November 27, Boult has been rested from the T20I squad so as to provide him time to meet his family. With the first Test to be played in Hamilton from December 3, Boult will join the Test squad as his team have a couple of crucial series in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship.

Bond, 45, considered Boult to be deserving of the imminent break especially ahead of a vital summer season at home. “I think it’s important [Boult gets a break]. He’s got a couple of young kids. To fly out from here and go straight into games and not have a chance to catch up with his family would have been a massive mistake.

“I suppose part of him being here is to get a little bit more volume, in terms of his overs, under his belt. It’s always a challenge when you’re in the IPL – it’s stinking hot, you don’t train as much, and obviously you’re playing a game that’s four overs. So it gives him a little bit of time to get some volume here and in the week, two weeks before the Test matches start against the West Indies.

“I think for his own sanity, he just would need to get home and spend a little bit of time with his family before he has another busy summer, so it’s a good decision,” Bond added.