New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson has downplayed talk of retirement from international cricket after the T20 World Cup, which will be staged in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.
Ahead of the mega event, New Zealand will lock horns with the co-hosts, India, in a five-match T20I series. The Kiwis are scheduled to play all their group matches in India. A bilateral series before the World Cup will be the perfect preparation for the team, reckons Ferguson.
“It’s literally perfect prep,” Ferguson told reporters before departing for India. “I know they’re not necessarily the grounds we’ll play on, but just the experience at the time — whether there’s a dew factor or whether there are condition factors — it’s nice to get on the turf and have such a decent build-up to the World Cup.”
India haven’t lost a T20I series in more than two years. However, the Men in Blue are coming off a loss to a second-string New Zealand team in the recently concluded ODI series.
“India are one of the top teams in the world and, in their own conditions, are world-class. Much like the one-day series, the boys will play hard,” he added.
Addressing the retirement speculations, Ferguson said: “I still feel fit, I still feel like I’m contributing. If there’s ever a day I wake up and I’m not contributing to a win, or if I don’t think I’m deserving of playing for the team, then I’ll put my boots on the wall.”
Ferguson is nursing an injury and hasn’t been named in the squad for the first three T20Is against India. Still, he expects to play a part in the last two games of the series.
“It’s not been officially released yet, but it looks like we’re tracking well and should definitely be involved in the series against India,” he added.
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