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In March 2025, Nick Kelly walked out in a black cap for the first time as an international cricketer.
Just over a year later, he’d do so again for the first time as New Zealand captain.
As injuries and rotation took a toll on the Black Caps’ tour of
Bangladesh, the 33-year-old was named skipper of the Twenty20 side by coach Rob Walter, marking 394 days between his maiden international and leading his country for the first time.
Only Lee Germon, who had 314 days between his one-day international debut before he was named New Zealand test captain, had a shorter wait to lead his country than Kelly.
And while, by his own admission, Kelly thought the chance to play international cricket had passed him by, the chance to lead the Black Caps was never lost on him.
“It was a huge honour, probably one I haven’t reflected on and appreciated just yet,” he told the Herald. “It was pretty bizarre circumstances – a couple of guys were injured and Rob was looking around the group going ‘who could actually do this?’
“There was probably a time in my career where I thought I’d never even play for New Zealand. To get the opportunity to do that was amazing.
“Before I played, I just wanted to play one game, get to enjoy that experience and make my friends and family really proud. From the debut to now, I’ve had a bit of success, which has been cool, and getting awarded a central contract, which has been awesome.
“Once I ticked that box of getting the first cap, I thought that would be the only series I played, [but] the phone calls you get around selection are still as exciting as the first one.”
While his ascension to leadership has been rapid, Kelly’s story is exactly what’s made this generation of Black Caps as successful as it’s been for more than a decade now.
After coming through the ranks as an allrounder, first through New Zealand’s Under-19 side, before domestic stints with Otago, Wellington, Northern Districts and New Zealand A, Kelly has more than done his time to earn Black Caps selection.
Like many of his teammates, years spent learning his craft in domestic cricket meant that by the time Kelly’s first call-up came – expected or otherwise – he was as ready as he could be to rise to the challenge.
Three half-centuries in his first eight ODIs, all made in tricky conditions away in Bangladesh and the West Indies, are evidence of that.
On top of that, having a player of his quality and experience on the domestic circuit is worth its weight in gold for youngsters coming through to learn from as they start their own journeys.
This week, Kelly will likely get the chance to add a few more runs to his tally, as part of the Black Caps’ side for the final two ODIs against India, both played at Bay Oval.
Aside from trying to keep the Black Caps’ unbeaten record since the start of 2020 intact, Kelly and his teammates will also get the chance to push for places at next year’s World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
While 50-over cricket used to be the showpiece event of the sport, evolving economics have seen it take a back seat in between the commercial juggernaut of T20 and the prestige of test matches.
But with these two matches, and a likely series against Sri Lanka at the start of next year, Kelly has ample opportunity to stake his claim for a World Cup place, even if he makes light of his own chances.
“Everyone wants to play in a World Cup,” he said. “To be in that 15-man squad would be another dream come true – but it’s a long way away.
“But when you look too far ahead – I did that early in my career, when I was striving so hard to firstly make my domestic team, and then wanted to play for New Zealand so badly – things don’t work out as you’d like.
“I know the strength of this group, and if I look at the top 15 names, I’d say I’m not in there. But all I can do when I do get a chance is look to try and take it with both hands, and add value on and off the park. You just never know.”
Kelly’s rise to international cricket is also different to how he might have pictured it.
As a left-arm spinning allrounder, Kelly’s later years have seen him drop his bowling altogether, with the attention given to his batting paying off in full.
In 2019, playing for Otago against Wellington, two consecutive waist-high no balls – both sent to the boundary – left him with figures of 0-12 without having bowled a legal delivery.
And while the end of his bowling days did cast a shadow over Kelly at the time, he’s more than happy to accept the results that have followed.
“The scars definitely stayed for a long period,” he said. “Anyone who’s gone through mental struggles with any area of sport will tell you it’s not a nice place to be.
“But being a bit older, I can definitely look back and laugh at it. I definitely put way too much pressure on myself with that side of my skill set.
“A lot of people say to me ‘if you picked it up again, you’re so much more valuable in what you do’. I look at it from the perspective of you never know what could have happened. I might not be here if I wasn’t giving my batting as much attention.
“There’s no regrets. I gave it a red hot crack, but I wouldn’t change anything.”
Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.
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