<p>New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman B J Watling on Wednesday announced that he will end his over-decade-long career in all forms of cricket after the World Test Championship final against India next month.</p>.<p>New Zealand will also play two Tests against hosts England before the WTC final against India in Southampton from June 18.</p>.<p>The 35-year-old has been a stalwart of the Test side since debuting in 2009 as an opener, going on to establish himself as a world-class keeper-batsman and claiming numerous records in his 73 Tests to date. The Northern Districts gloveman had been pondering his options for a while.</p>.<p>"It's the right time," said Watling, who has recently become a father for the second time, in a New Zealand Cricket statement.</p>.<p>"Test cricket really is the pinnacle of the game and I've loved every minute of being out there in the whites with the boys. Sitting in the changing rooms having a beer with the team after five days' toil is what I'll miss the most."</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/new-zealand-team-arrives-home-after-ipl-suspension-second-group-expected-to-land-today-984093.html" target="_blank">New Zealand team arrives home after IPL suspension, second group expected to land today</a></strong></p>.<p>The announcement of Watling's retirement was also expedited by his expected omission from the player contracts list, to be released on Friday.</p>.<p>"This tour will be a challenge on a few levels and we know as a team we will need to be at the very top of our game if we want to succeed," he said.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>His bowler-keeper catching combinations with Tim Southee (73), Trent Boult (55) and Neil Wagner (53) occupy the top three spots on the New Zealand record list.</p>.<p>Watling's batting statistics are equally eye catching.</p>.<p>He has 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. In all, he has 3773 runs in 73 Tests, averaging a little over 38.</p>.<p>He is just the ninth Test keeper to score a double hundred and was the first to do so against England, when his man of the match performance helped win a dramatic Test against England at Bay Oval in November 2019.</p>.<p>Also Read | </p>.<p>He also featured in another New Zealand record-partnership in that match as he and Mitchell Santner put on 261 for the seventh wicket.</p>.<p>NZC chief executive David White said Watling would be remembered for the tremendous courage and determination he brought to the game, and especially when the chips were down.</p>.<p>"BJ turned games around. I can’t think of another player who reacted so positively, and who was successful in the face of adversity.</p>.<p>"His ability to wring every possible run out of the tail was unmatched; his work behind the stumps tireless and efficient," he said.</p>.<p>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, he will surpass Adam Parore's record of most Tests as a New Zealand keeper at 67.</p>.<p>Blackcaps coach Gary Stead lauded the side's Mr Dependable behind the stumps.</p>.<p>"The records speak for themselves and he's been such a crucial cog in the Test team's rise over the past decade," he said.</p>.<p>"He is without a doubt one of our best ever wicket-keeper batsmen."</p>
<p>New Zealand wicket-keeper batsman B J Watling on Wednesday announced that he will end his over-decade-long career in all forms of cricket after the World Test Championship final against India next month.</p>.<p>New Zealand will also play two Tests against hosts England before the WTC final against India in Southampton from June 18.</p>.<p>The 35-year-old has been a stalwart of the Test side since debuting in 2009 as an opener, going on to establish himself as a world-class keeper-batsman and claiming numerous records in his 73 Tests to date. The Northern Districts gloveman had been pondering his options for a while.</p>.<p>"It's the right time," said Watling, who has recently become a father for the second time, in a New Zealand Cricket statement.</p>.<p>"Test cricket really is the pinnacle of the game and I've loved every minute of being out there in the whites with the boys. Sitting in the changing rooms having a beer with the team after five days' toil is what I'll miss the most."</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/new-zealand-team-arrives-home-after-ipl-suspension-second-group-expected-to-land-today-984093.html" target="_blank">New Zealand team arrives home after IPL suspension, second group expected to land today</a></strong></p>.<p>The announcement of Watling's retirement was also expedited by his expected omission from the player contracts list, to be released on Friday.</p>.<p>"This tour will be a challenge on a few levels and we know as a team we will need to be at the very top of our game if we want to succeed," he said.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>His bowler-keeper catching combinations with Tim Southee (73), Trent Boult (55) and Neil Wagner (53) occupy the top three spots on the New Zealand record list.</p>.<p>Watling's batting statistics are equally eye catching.</p>.<p>He has 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. In all, he has 3773 runs in 73 Tests, averaging a little over 38.</p>.<p>He is just the ninth Test keeper to score a double hundred and was the first to do so against England, when his man of the match performance helped win a dramatic Test against England at Bay Oval in November 2019.</p>.<p>Also Read | </p>.<p>He also featured in another New Zealand record-partnership in that match as he and Mitchell Santner put on 261 for the seventh wicket.</p>.<p>NZC chief executive David White said Watling would be remembered for the tremendous courage and determination he brought to the game, and especially when the chips were down.</p>.<p>"BJ turned games around. I can’t think of another player who reacted so positively, and who was successful in the face of adversity.</p>.<p>"His ability to wring every possible run out of the tail was unmatched; his work behind the stumps tireless and efficient," he said.</p>.<p>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, he will surpass Adam Parore's record of most Tests as a New Zealand keeper at 67.</p>.<p>Blackcaps coach Gary Stead lauded the side's Mr Dependable behind the stumps.</p>.<p>"The records speak for themselves and he's been such a crucial cog in the Test team's rise over the past decade," he said.</p>.<p>"He is without a doubt one of our best ever wicket-keeper batsmen."</p>