“Tests would put too much of a strain on the body at this stage of my career”

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Veteran New Zealand all-rounder Daniel Vettori has admitted that his Test career may be all but over due to the numerous injuries he is currently battling.

Vettori has not played Test cricket in over two years and is now setting his sights on representing his country in the 2015 World Cup.

“[Test cricket’s] not at the forefront of my mind,” he told the Herald on Sunday. “I can’t guarantee the amount of overs [required] to play a Test match and don’t want to get in way of Ish [Sodhi] and Mark [Craig] in their development. It’s definitely on the back burner.

“The World Cup’s the goal. Tests would put too much of a strain on the body at this stage of my career.”

Despite only playing in domestic Twenty20 tournaments throughout the entire year, Vettori is hoping to be selected for New Zealand’s upcoming ODI series against South Africa at home.

In the 112 Tests he has played, Vettori has taken 360 Test wickets, which puts him at second place on New Zealand’s all-time list of top Test wicket-takers. He has also scored 4,516 runs, which makes him the Blackcaps’ sixth-highest Test run-scorer in history.