New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has made significant changes to the support staff of its men's team by appointing former batsman and wicketkeeper BJ Watling as the new batting coach. He will replace the current batting coach, Luke Ronchi.
Luke Ronchi will continue in his duties until the start of the Test series against India, which concludes in early December. The 41-year-old BJ Watling will join the team on November 16th to begin working alongside Luke Ronchi. This period will be transitional, after which Watling will fully take over the role of batting coach during New Zealand's tour of Australia, where a four-match Test series is scheduled.
Throughout his international cricket career, Watling scored 4401 runs, playing 75 Tests, 28 ODIs, and 5 T20 Internationals. In international competitions, he scored 8 centuries and 24 half-centuries. Although his international career ended in 2021, his experience in club cricket is extensive.
He participated in 178 first-class matches for New Zealand, Northern Districts, and Derby, scoring 10034 runs with 18 centuries. As a wicketkeeper, he also registered 450 dismissals. He will now share this experience with New Zealand's batsmen.
After retiring from international cricket, BJ Watling dedicated himself to coaching. He worked with the Wellington Firebirds and Northern Districts teams. His work as head coach of Northern Districts was particularly successful: his team won the Plunket Shield title in the 2024-25 season and the Super Smash in the 2025-26 season. It was due to this recent success that NZC decided to entrust him with responsibility for the national team.
Upon receiving the new position, BJ Watling expressed his delight. He noted that the opportunity to rejoin the current squad is a very important moment for him. Watling highly praised the achievements of the team and support staff in recent years, adding that he is happy to contribute to this world-renowned team.
Daryl Gibson, NZC's Chief Performance Officer, also supported Watling's appointment. He stated that Watling has proven his competence as a coach in recent years and has good relationships with many current players on the team. Tim Latham, captain of the New Zealand Test team, also welcomed Watling's return. According to Latham, Watling fully embodied the spirit of the 'Black Caps' during his playing career, and his passion, diligence, and commitment will now manifest in his coaching role.