Black Caps: What does Finn Allen’s future hold as T20 freelancer re-commits to New Zealand?

For everything he’s already achieved in cricket, it’s almost scary to think that the Black Caps are yet to truly see the full potential of Finn Allen.

Since making his debut at the start of 2021, Allen’s four years in international cricket at the highest level have been equal parts brilliant and frustrating.

On his day, the 26-year-old is among the most destructive players in the world game at the top of the order.

The issue, though, is that there’s never any guarantee exactly when Allen’s day will be.

In 2022, Allen’s 42 off 16 balls effectively knocked Australia out of their own Twenty20 World Cup, while the start of 2024 saw him hammer 137 runs from 62 balls against Pakistan – a New Zealand record.

But for every time he’s able to clear the ropes with ludicrous power and range of shots, it feels as though Allen finds ways to get himself out.

Career strike rates of over 163 in international T20 cricket and 173 on the franchise circuit are for the most part offset by averages of 25.19 and 28.85 respectively.

All up, a record of 1285 runs from his 52 T20 Internationals, with two centuries, doesn’t quite tell the complete picture of Allen’s true ability.

But therein lies the quintessential dilemma with Allen; he does not play in a manner where consistency is achievable.

However, after handing back his New Zealand Cricket (NZC) central contract midway through 2024, Monday saw Allen commit to the national body on a casual playing agreement, with the intention of being selected for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.

This year, a foot injury sustained playing in America’s Major League Cricket has so far left Allen sidelined and unable to link up with new Black Caps coach Rob Walter. That will extend to the start of the Kiwi summer, where Allen will miss this month’s three match T20 series with Australia.

That Major League Cricket (MLC) stint also saw Allen hammer a record 151 runs off 51 balls for the San Francisco Unicorns against the Washington Freedom, with 114 of those coming from sixes alone.

But having himself worked with power hitters David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen during his time as South Africa’s white ball coach, Walter is well versed in getting the best out of some of the game’s most explosive players.

And, in Allen’s case, Walter already knows exactly what he brings to the table.

“Finn does play a nice attacking brand of cricket, as we’ve seen,” he told the Herald. “We saw in the MLC, 150 off 50 [balls] is pretty special.

“To be fair, it fits in with the way we want to play. We pride ourselves on being adaptable, but the guys at the front are the guys who set the tone for the game.

“He’s definitely a guy who does that for us.”

Despite his clear potential as a genuine match-winner, Allen’s place as a Black Cap is shrouded by misunderstanding.

New Zealand’s standing in cricket’s ecosystem, one of the small players in a game increasingly diverging into haves and have nots, doesn’t leave much room for T20 specialists.

That, though, is exactly what Allen is.

Of his 246 total professional matches, 85 have come in either first-class or 50-over cricket. The remaining 161 are in T20.

While it may be frowned upon by purists, his career as a T20 freelancer has given Allen the ability to travel the world and, more importantly, rub shoulders with some of the game’s greats.

At 26, though, Allen is no longer a youngster. His peak years are approaching, and with them will hopefully come the player that former coach Gary Stead initially invested in.

And for the duration of his casual contract, the task of helping Allen reach the heights that his talent dictates falls at Walter’s feet.

“The key is to keep progressing with the game,” the Black Caps coach continued. “The opposition do their homework.

“From a skills point of view, he’s falling back on his strengths that make him the X-factor that he is.

“But then [it’s] also [about] understanding where the game is pushing you to? What does he need to develop in his game? That’s the same journey for all cricketers.

“He’s done some pretty special things in the short format of the game. We hope he continues to do that for us, that’s for sure.”

How good Allen might turn out to be is no secret.

NZC chief executive Scott Weenink told the Herald that while his priority might be T20, the ability to play three formats shouldn’t be overlooked, and he’d “love to see [Allen] playing test cricket”.

That might be some way off, given Allen has played just 20 first-class matches for 671 runs at an average of just under 21.

Weenink also conceded that there is a possibility Allen opts out of any kind of NZC contract after next year’s World Cup.

But even though those numbers don’t leap off the page, Walter is by no means closing any door on what Allen’s future might hold.

“I’m not sure, right now, exactly what his aspirations are moving forward,” Walter said. “But he’s a game-changer.

“If that’s the route he wants to go, we certainly want to accommodate him and have that conversation - for sure.”

Alex Powell is a sports journalist for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016.