Tom Latham

Tom Latham is a left-handed batter who has established himself as a mainstay for New Zealand. Making his first-class debut back in 2010 for Canterbury, he first came into prominence when he struck a magnificent 130 runs off 119 balls against Wellington in 2012 in a List A game.

It prompted the selectors to romp in this talented batter for the limited-over series against Zimbabwe at home, where he made his ODI debut. Although Latham did not taste any major success in that series, he toured the sub-continent with the New Zealand A team playing List A games against India A and Sri Lanka A in the latter part of 2013. His standout innings of 86 against Sri Lanka in November in the second ODI saw his team chase a huge total in a rain-affected game. That performance also earned him the Man of the Match award and showed the world that he was ready for the hard grind of international cricket.

Latham made his Test debut against India in 2014 when Ross Taylor made himself unavailable for the series. It was not a great start for him as he got out for a duck in the first innings and scored 29 runs in the second innings. After putting in some consistent performances in the domestic circuit, Tom was called back to the red-ball squad. His Test career saw an upward movement in the series against Pakistan as he registered back-to-back centuries.

Latham's consistency helped him cement his place in the Kiwi squad. In 2016, he played an important role in the series against India, which was played in the subcontinent. Tom scored 3 fifties on that tour, which showcased him as a good player of spin. In the year 2018, Latham notched up his maiden Test double ton, against Sri Lanka. The southpaw was an integral member of the Black Caps' unit in the 2019 World Cup and made a handy contribution in the final, although in a losing cause.

A year later, in 2020, when Australia came visiting, Tom Latham got the opportunity to lead New Zealand in the third Test after Kane Williamson was ruled out due to illness. The technically sound southpaw continued to be a pillar of New Zealand's batting in both Test and ODI formats, with his ability to manoeuvre spin setting him apart from his peers.

2022 was one of Latham's most memorable years in Test cricket. First, he racked up a double century at home against Bangladesh, and then he made a remarkable ton in Karachi during New Zealand's tour of Pakistan. However, from 2023 onwards, his form in ODIs saw a dip. Despite this, Latham's wealth of experience was invaluable, and his presence in the 2023 ODI World Cup squad was crucial. He began the tournament with a couple of fifties, but his bat quietened down as the competition progressed, and New Zealand bowed out in the semi-finals.

2024 marked a new chapter in Latham's career as he was appointed New Zealand's full-time Test captain following Tim Southee’s resignation after a 3-0 whitewash in Sri Lanka. Latham's leadership journey couldn’t have had a more perfect start. In his first series as captain, he led New Zealand to a historic 3-0 whitewash against India, a feat never before achieved by an away side on Indian soil. This remarkable achievement not only solidified Latham's leadership credentials but also added another significant milestone to his career.