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"The pinnacles...": Duffy aims to overpower giants in 2026 after attracting spotlight

Mayank

New Zealand stand second in the WTC table [Source: Blackcaps/X.com]New Zealand stand second in the WTC table [Source: Blackcaps/X.com]

New Zealand climbed up to the number 2 position in the World Test Championship 2025-27 table after they defeated West Indies 2-0 in the three-match Test series at home to kick-start the fourth WTC cycle. While they only played one major series this year, the 2026 calendar is set to demand big performances from them, with tours of England and Australia alongside a home series against India scheduled.

As they aim high to reach another WTC final, after already winning the mace once in 2021, star bowler Jacob Duffy has opened up on the team's ambitions moving forward from the WI series.

Duffy and co. aim high in 2026 Test season

Just days after breaking Richard Hadlee's long-standing record of most Test wickets for New Zealand in a year and finishing as the most successful international bowler of the year with 81 wickets, Duffy spoke with the ICC regarding the three big series they will play in 2026 and 2026/27 and he expects to play a crucial role in doing something special.

"It’s amazing, there’s Test cricket [against] India at home as well, that’s a huge series. It’s exciting for the group and definitely I’ve done two-and-a-half England tours now where I’ve not played, so to go over there and potentially maybe do that and Aussie away too — those are the pinnacles I think. Those are the highlights of your career, potentially, especially in the red-ball scene," he noted.

Reflecting upon the year gone by, where he also picked up the Player of the Series award against West Indies, he admitted of high workload but said that it also makes him feel important in the team, especially in Matt Henry's absence.

"I’m just enjoying my career, I don’t know. I don’t look at things too holistically, I guess. It has been an awesome ride; it’s been testing with all the bowlers going down and obviously, the workload is pretty high, but the fact that Tommy [Tom Latham] keeps asking me to bowl the ball, I’d like to view that as a bit of a privilege. You just get to trust you to keep bowling and doing the good stuff, so that’s what I’m trying to do,” he concluded.

Up next, the Kiwis are set to travel to India, where they will play three ODIs and five T20Is ahead of the T20 World Cup. Duffy will then play the IPL with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The aforementioned Test calendar shall begin with their 3 Test England tour in June, two Tests vs India at home in October and November, followed by three Test tour of Australia.