‘I didn’t want them to pick me anymore if I was going to play as a keeper’ - Glenn Phillips reflects on his aversion to wicketkeeping

Star New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips recently came forward to talk about how he switched from being a wicketkeeper to becoming one of the best fielders in world cricket. The 27-year-old revealed how much he dislikes wicketkeeping and how a back injury helped him express his thoughts. 

Phillips revealed that he told New Zealand Cricket not to pick him if they were looking to play him as a wicketkeeper. He made his debut in 2017 but has only featured as a batting all-rounder since 2018.

He revealed that the back injury provided him with the perfect excuse. He also talked about reaching a point where he felt frustrated with everyone present on the field and how keeping was no fun for him as there was little movement involved if the ball was not coming to him.

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“I hated keeping long before that (back injury), but the back injury was the perfect excuse. It started by telling New Zealand cricket that I didn’t want them to pick me anymore if I was going to play as a keeper... I jumped off that boat to live by my sword and die by it - thankfully it worked out. I would rather do what I was enjoying than stick around doing something I hated with a passion," Phillips told the Wisden. 

“I got to the point where I got frustrated with everyone in the field. You get stuck in one position where you can only move 10 metres to your left and to your right. If the ball doesn’t come to you, then there’s no movement; you’re not involved in the game at all, and I felt like it was a waste of time. It was no fun. There’s no movement, no running, and what’s the point of doing something if you’re not enjoying something?" he added.

It is worth noting that Phillips has only kept the wickets in T20Is, but his numbers as an all-rounder have been considerably better in comparison. As a keeper, Phillips maintained an average of 18.4, with a strike rate of 117.94. On the other hand, as an all-rounder, Phillips maintains an average of 34.28 runs, with a strike rate of 143.67.