Trent Boult is back with the Black Caps. Photo: Jamie Troughton/www.photosport.nz
Trent Boult never intended to pit New Zealand Cricket against franchise sides around the world. But one year on from dropping his Black Caps contract in favour of freelancing in T20 competitions he doesn't sound like he has many regrets.
Boult is back in the Black Caps squad for next month's ODI series in England and he hopes to make the cut for New Zealand's Cricket World Cup squad for the tournament in India in October.
"It wasn't an easy decision to make just over a year ago to move away from the New Zealand Cricket bubble," the pace bowler says.
"I was very fortunate to take my family around the world and experience all these different experiences and that's been one of the best things to flick through the camera roll and see the kids with cowboy hats on in Texas and and in Rajasthan with turbans and all sorts of stuff so it's gonna be something I'm pretty proud of in years to come."
The biggest lesson Boult learnt while plying his trade in the shortest format of the game from the US to India he says is: "life's short, make the most of everything".
After lifting the trophy with M.I New York in the inaugural season of the Major League Cricket - where he took three wickets in the final - he is back with many familiar faces in New Zealand training not far from his home in Mount Maunganui before heading back overseas.
"It's been an exciting 12 months or so on the road and getting a chance to experience cricket around the world.
"I've always had this in the back of my mind to come back and work towards an ODI World Cup. The history involved there, and the times that we've had and previous campaigns, it's been very exciting so I'm just hungry to get involved and hopefully play a big role."
Trent Boult playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the 2023 Indian Premier League. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The move from fulltime Black Cap to part-time franchise player has not changed how seriously Boult takes his sport.
"Franchise cricket it hasn't taken over but there's a lot more of it, but I still think international cricket plays a massive role in I suppose earning you the right to get into the franchises and play. And franchise cricket can be pretty hard, you're one or two performances away from being pushed out of a franchise and there's hundreds of cricketers trying to come in behind you and take that role as well so there's a lot at stake."
Playing with T20 "greats" like Kieron Pollard has been a highlight for Boult.
"He's a guy that probably was one of the starters of moving away from West Indies cricket and following his dreams as a T20 cricketer.
"But those guys are very experienced, they're very passionate about the game and those things are two things that you can't buy and that's experience and just the ability to stand up in big moments and that's probably my focus over the next couple of months to try and use that experience and stand up and do something good for New Zealand."
Now that he is back in Black Caps, Boult says he hasn't changed what he brings to the team.
Energy and a "lower order allrounder" are what those on the tour to England can expect from their experienced team-mate.