Former New Zealand player and commentator Ian Smith ruminated on Boult’s decision, claiming that New Zealand did not have an equal replacement for Boult in their ranks.
“In New Zealand, when we’d think about replacing Trent Boult, we’ll have to dig very deep,” Smith opined. “And right now we can’t, we haven’t got a left-arm bowler of world-class ability in our ranks at the moment.”
Sir Richard Hadlee was one of the class all-rounders in the 1970s and 80s and finished his career with 431 Test wickets, still a New Zealand record. Smith believed Boult’s impact was similar, and it would take years for someone to replicate his feats.
“There are kids coming through but it will be a long time, a long, long time just as it was with Richard Hadlee. A long time until we replace or come close to replacing what Trent Boult has done.”