Known as an extremely proficient wicketkeeper and a reliable middle order batsman, Tom Blundell is another product of the New Zealand age-group system.
Blundell was a member of the 2010 New Zealand U19 World Cup Squad along with Tom Latham, James Neesham, and Doug Bracewell and made his First-Class and List A debuts for Wellington in 2013.
He has represented New Zealand in all three formats but predominantly plies his trade in the Test arena where he made a real splash on the international scene, scoring an unbeaten 107 on his Test debut against the West Indies at his home ground the Basin Reserve.
Earlier, in the same year he had earned his call-up to the BLACKCAPS squad in the third T20 against Bangladesh in Mount Maunganui.
Blundell has featured sporadically in ODI cricket and was selected in the 2019 ICC World Cup squad, scoring 106 in a warm-up match against West Indies.
Blundell had to bide his time as the incumbent Test wicketkeeper to BJ Watling, but proved his versatility with the bat when he opened the batting in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in 2019. The innings will be remembered as one of the great fighting knocks of recent times as Blundell fought hard to reach triple figures and become the first New Zealander to ever score a century at the MCG.
Since Watling’s retirement Blundell has become a vital cog in the BLACKCAPS Test squad and registered his fourth Test century against England at Bay Oval in 2023.
A born and bred Wellingtonian and Wellington College old-boy, Blundell has achieved plenty of success with the Wellington Firebirds lifting three Super Smash titles and a Plunket Shield with his Major Association.
