BJ Watling appointed New Zealand Test batting coach

New Zealand Cricket has appointed former wicketkeeper-batter BJ Watling as the new batting coach for the Black Caps Test team. Watling is set to succeed Luke Ronchi following the conclusion of the Test series against India in early December.

Watling will join the support staff on November 16 to undergo a transition period, working alongside Ronchi before officially taking full charge of the role. His first major assignment as batting coach will be the upcoming four-match Test series in Australia.

Watling brings extensive international experience to the position, having played 75 Tests and scoring 3,790 runs. He retired from international cricket in 2021 after contributing to New Zealand’s inaugural World Test Championship title. Test captain Tom Latham praised Watling, noting that his determination as a player would likely influence his coaching style.