Rephrase the title:Was Neil Wagner forced into retirement? New Zealand star weighs in on the pacer’s departure

Former New Zealand cricket captain Ross Taylor has ignited a debate by suggesting that the retirement of Neil Wagner, one of the country’s prominent fast bowlers, might have been coerced.

Wagner, known for his relentless pace and aggressive style of bowling, recently announced his retirement from Test cricket just before the commencement of the first Test match against Australia.

Despite being New Zealand’s fifth-highest wicket-taker in the longest format of the game, the 37-year-old was reportedly informed that he would not be included in the first-choice XI for the series against Australia. Feeling sidelined, Wagner decided to step away from the game.

However, the circumstances surrounding Wagner’s retirement have raised eyebrows. Despite officially retiring, Wagner was seen on the field during the first Test match, serving as a substitute fielder and occasionally running drinks.

Speculations arose when Will O’Rourke, a newcomer to the Test arena, suffered an injury during the match, prompting discussions about a potential dramatic return for Wagner. Nonetheless, New Zealand opted to name Ben Sears as O’Rourke’s replacement, quelling any hopes of Wagner’s comeback.

Taylor, who himself retired from international cricket two years ago, voiced his concerns regarding Wagner’s abrupt departure from the game. He hinted at the possibility of Wagner’s retirement being influenced by external factors, indicating a potential element of coercion.

What did Ross Taylor say?

Speaking on ESPN’s Around the Wicket podcast, Taylor said: “If he comes around the wicket to Hazlewood, he might have got him away for a couple of boundaries or even a six. But I think for the prolonged time he would have attacked him for, I don’t think they would have got a 100-run partnership.

“I think it all makes sense a little bit now. There’s no sugarcoating it: I think it’s a forced retirement. If you listen to Wagner’s press conference, he was retiring, but it was after this last Test match. So he did make himself available.

“And to see that he isn’t selected … I think I do like and you do need to plan for the future, but a one-off Test against Australia in a must-win situation, I wouldn’t be looking much further than Neil Wagner. And I’m sure the Australian batters are sleeping easy that he’s not in the side.”

Aaron Finch agrees with Taylor

Adding fuel to the speculation, Aaron Finch, former captain of the Australian limited-overs team, suggested that there might be unrest brewing within the New Zealand camp. Finch expressed surprise and disbelief at Wagner’s absence from the playing XI, particularly highlighting Wagner’s past success against Australia and the impact his presence could have had on the outcome of the match.

“I couldn’t believe Neil Wagner wasn’t in the XI,” said Finch. “I just genuinely thought that he must have been out through a niggle. The success he’s had against Australia, particularly Steve Smith over a period of time, you can guarantee that the last wicket partnership wouldn’t have happened if Wagner was there. “Because he would have intimidated Josh Hazlewood at least. He might have stopped Cameron Green from scoring as well. I thought that was a really interesting decision.”

In a light-hearted tone, Finch also joked about the apparent unrest within the New Zealand team, contrasting it with the stereotypical portrayal of camaraderie in the Kiwi camp.

“About time that there’s more unrest in the Kiwi camp. For so long they’ve been poking fun at us because there’s always a little bit going on behind the scenes in Australian cricket. It’s great to see.”

As speculation continues to swirl around Neil Wagner’s retirement, the cricketing community awaits further clarification on the circumstances leading to his abrupt exit from the game.