New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) New Zealand are considering a move to slot Finn Allen down to the middle order during the upcoming five-match ODI series against India that begins on November 4 in New Zealand.
Allen has been recalled for the 50-over series and last featured in the ODIs in late 2023. He has not batted anywhere below the opening slots in List A cricket since 2020. Allen and Tim Seifert open the innings for the Kiwis in the T20Is, but the Kiwis are considering breaking that swashbuckling association in the ODIs.
Head coach Rob Walter confirmed the development after the Kiwis announced their squad for the India series, stating that his demotion to the middle order can help the Blackcaps “influence the game” in crucial middle overs and get more runs.
“It’s unlikely that they (Allen and Seifert) will open together,” Walter said after the squad announcement, as quoted by Cricinfo. “We’ve got sort of a different role in mind for Finn in the middle order. So we want to explore that as an option, obviously, given his capability to sort of influence the game.
“In 50-over cricket, there’s a space in the middle of the game to take on the spinners or the fifth or sixth bowler. So, yeah, we’ll explore that with Finn. Obviously, we know he’s destructive, and it is a little bit different in 50-over cricket. He’s not foreign to 50-over cricket. He’s certainly played enough of it, but it is a slightly new role for him. So, yeah, looking forward to seeing how that goes,” he added.
With a possible move down the order for Allen, Devon Conway is the likeliest option to open with Seifert, and when Conway leaves after the first three ODIs to prepare for the India Tests, Nick Kelly could be entrusted to open the innings.
Walter further highlighted that the rationale behind the move is to take the game on in the middle overs with Allen a proven power-hitter. “We actually want to see what it looks like to have someone in the middle order just taking on the game,” Walter said. “So, that’s obviously not being reckless because if it was that easy, everyone would do it. But there’s a sort of a shift in 50-over cricket, especially if the surfaces are good, where overs 25-40 become pretty important whilst there’s an extra fielder in the ring.
“So, we want him to express himself. But there obviously has to be a slight shift in it. And it is very different to when there are only two (fielders) out in the powerplay of a T20 game. But that said, he also has batted into the latter parts of a T20 game where there are five fielders out. So, hopefully, finding sort of the happy medium in between can provide a nice competitive advantage,” he added.
He further revealed that the discussion took place during the T20 World Cup 2026, with the batter also having conversations with Auckland Aces coach Rob Nicol about generating more power for the middle-order role.
“I mean, this is a conversation that happened in the T20 World Cup already,” Walter said. “And I can’t remember if he came to me or if I went to him, but we were sort of probably both thinking about a similar thing. I know Rob Nicol at the Aces had discussed it with him as well.
“So, I think there were a few people thinking the same thing at the same time. So, he’s obviously available to try anything, and he’s always up for a challenge. So, yeah, it was not a difficult conversation by any stretch, and it’s something that I know he’s looking forward to,” he added.
–IANS
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