BJ Watling has been appointed as the New Zealand men's team batting coach. The former wicketkeeper-batter will replace incumbent batting coach Luke Ronchi at the end of the Test series against India in early December.

Watling, who is currently the head coach of Northern Districts Men, will join New Zealand's support staff on November 16 and work alongside Ronchi during a transition period. He will formally take over when New Zealand travel to Australia for a four-Test series.

Watling, who has played 178 first-class matches - for New Zealand, Northern Districts and Durham - finished his career with more than 10,000 runs, including 18 centuries, while he also took 450 catches. Since retiring from international cricket in 2021, he has coached Wellington Firebirds and Northern Districts. Under his tenure, Northern Districts won the Super Smash in 2025-26 and the Plunket Shield in 2024-25.

Speaking about his new role, Watling said he was excited to return to the international setup. "I'm incredibly excited. To come back into the team and work with this current group is a special opportunity and one I don't take lightly. What this side and the support staff have achieved together over recent years has been remarkable, so I'm looking forward to contributing to a world-class side."

New Zealand Cricket Chief High Performance Officer Daryl Gibson backed Watling to succeed in the role, pointing to his recent coaching experience and strong relationships within the squad. "BJ has proven himself in a coaching capacity with recent stints at Wellington and Northern Districts and he has excellent relationships with many of the current squad," said Gibson.

"He's comfortably one of the most respected modern BLACKCAPS and his approach to his playing career is synonymous with the identity of the side," said Gibson. "We're very excited for him to start with what will be a massive few months of cricket for the BLACKCAPS."

Test captain Tom Latham added: "BJ is a guy who personified what it means to be a BLACKCAP, so having someone like him come back into the group will be great for our environment. There was never any doubt about his effort and determination every time he stepped onto the field, and I’m sure that same attitude will translate in his coaching style."