Mitchell Santner has been officially appointed as New Zealand's full-time captain for the ODI and T20I formats, as announced by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on Wednesday. Santner, who has played 243 international matches for New Zealand, will assume the permanent leadership role for the white-ball teams, having previously captained the squad in 24 T20Is and four ODIs. He has been at the helm since Kane Williamson stepped down following the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

Santner's full-time captaincy will commence with the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka, scheduled for late December and early January.

These two series mark the beginning of a busy period of white-ball cricket for the team, which includes an ODI Tri Series in Pakistan in February. This will be followed by the ICC Champions Trophy and a home series of T20Is and ODIs against Pakistan, concluding New Zealand's home summer.

Expressing his gratitude, Santner stated that he felt honored to be entrusted with the leadership of the white-ball teams on a full-time basis. “It’s obviously a huge honour and a privilege to be asked,” he remarked. “As a young boy, my dream was always to play for New Zealand, but to have the opportunity to officially lead my country in two formats is truly special. It presents a new challenge, and I am eager to engage in this crucial period of white-ball cricket that lies ahead.”

Having recently captained the team during the T20I and ODI series in Sri Lanka, Santner is among only four players to have represented New Zealand over 100 times in both ODI and T20I formats, and he is widely recognized as one of the premier white-ball bowlers in the world.

He first took charge of the team in a T20I match against the West Indies at Bay Oval in November 2020 and became New Zealand’s 24th ODI captain during a solitary ODI against Scotland in Edinburgh in 2022.

Santner expressed that it is an exhilarating time to lead both white-ball teams.

“There’s obviously a little bit of a changing of the guard with some of our experienced players at the back end of their careers.

“I think that’s exciting for the remainder of the group and the young players to now take on the challenge and drive this team forward to further success.”

NZ head coach backs Santner to lead well

New Zealand's head coach, Gary Stead, expressed confidence in Santner's suitability for the position.

“Mitch exemplifies what it means to be a team player and sets a standard in every aspect of the game,” Stead remarked.

“He possesses a remarkably calm demeanor and commands significant respect within the locker room, which will be advantageous for him.

“With extensive experience leading the T20 squad and having performed admirably as captain of the ODI team last month, he has already developed a solid grasp of the responsibilities that come with leadership.

“I am confident that Mitch will also introduce his own perspectives and approach to leadership in this role.”

Stead indicated that the choice to appoint Santner as captain for both the ODI and T20I teams was made with the broader team dynamics in mind.

“Tom Latham is an accomplished and seasoned captain who has effectively led the team across all three formats.

“Since assuming the role of full-time Test captain in October, Tom has excelled, and we are eager to allow him to concentrate on that position, which demands significant time and effort.”