The lure of international T20 leagues could harm England's red-ball future

It is not quite an international retirement, more like a conscious uncoupling. Trent Boult’s decision to relinquish his New Zealand central contract to create more time to play in Twenty20 leagues is another indication of how rapidly cricket’s landscape is changing.

The significance of the decision is magnified by the country and player involved. Compared to other countries from beyond the sport’s economic big three - Australia, England and India - New Zealand have largely been able to avoid losing players prematurely to the T20 circuit, a reflection of the board's pragmatism in allowing players to miss low-profile white-ball internationals to play in foreign leagues. 

There can also be no questioning Boult’s desire to play Test cricket - during the latter stages of this year’s Indian Premier League, he practised bowling longer spells with a red ball to ready himself for the series in England, when he was New Zealand’s bowler of the series. And yet now there is every chance that he will not be seen in whites again.

No matter their greater wealth, England are not immune from these wider forces in the game. By the latest count, 18 England players have already signed up to the new T20 leagues launching in South Africa and the United Arab Emirates in January.

The rewards that England can afford to offer their leading players mean that, for now, it is unlikely that any of their major stars would withdraw from a national central contract as Boult has. But, already, a combination of England’s schedule and the allure of T20 leagues - with the Indian Premier League, and others, filling up time that could have otherwise been used to rest - mean that three-format England cricketers are going the way of the dodo. Jonny Bairstow is