New Zealand are considering a move to slot Finn Allen down to the middle order during the upcoming five-match ODI series against India that begins on November 4 in New Zealand.
“We’ve got sort of a different role in mind for Finn in the middle order. So we want to explore that as an option, obviously, given his capability to sort of influence the game. So, yeah, we’ll explore that with Finn. He’s certainly played enough of it, but it is a slightly new role for him. So, yeah, looking forward to seeing how that goes,” he added. Walter further highlighted that the rationale behind the move is to take the game on in the middle overs with Allen a proven power-hitter. “So, we want him to express himself. But there obviously has to be a slight shift in it. And it is very different to when there are only two (fielders) out in the powerplay of a T20 game. So, hopefully, finding sort of the happy medium in between can provide a nice competitive advantage,” he added. “And I can’t remember if he came to me or if I went to him, but we were sort of probably both thinking about a similar thing. I know Rob Nicol at the Aces had discussed it with him as well.
Because if it was that easy, everyone would do it, “So, that’s obviously not being reckless. “In 50-over cricket, there’s a space in the middle of the game to take on the spinners or the fifth or sixth bowler. Obviously, we know he’s destructive, and it is a little bit different in 50-over cricket. He’s not foreign to 50-over cricket. But there’s a sort of a shift in 50-over cricket, especially if the surfaces are good, where overs 25-40 become pretty important whilst there’s an extra fielder in the ring. He further revealed that the discussion took place during the T20 World Cup 2026, with the batter also having conversations with Auckland Aces coach Rob Nicol about generating more power for the middle-order role.
Head coach Rob Walter confirmed the development after the Kiwis announced their squad for the India series, stating that his demotion to the middle order can help the Blackcaps “influence the game” in crucial middle overs and get more runs. “It’s unlikely that they (Allen and Seifert) will open together,” Walter said after the squad announcement, as quoted by Cricinfo. “We actually want to see what it looks like to have someone in the middle order just taking on the game,” Walter said. But that said, he also has batted into the latter parts of a T20 game where there are five fielders out. “I mean, this is a conversation that happened in the T20 World Cup already,” Walter said.
