New Zealand white-ball captain Mitchell Santner has reportedly turned down a lucrative Big Bash League (BBL) offer to remain available for the Black Caps’ upcoming international assignments against India and Australia. The 34-year-old left-arm spinner was approached by Adelaide Strikers but ultimately decided that his international commitments were more important at this stage of his career. Santner is particularly keen to be part of New Zealand’s upcoming home series against India before travelling to Australia for a four-Test assignment.

The demanding international schedule has made the next few months an important period for the Black Caps. “When you look ahead to the summer we’ve got, India here for white ball and Tests and Australia away – there’s not many bigger than that – it’s quite an exciting time. I’d like to still be part of that,” Mitchell Santner told the New Zealand Herald.

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The spinner admitted that the BBL proposal was financially attractive and serious enough for him to consider. However, after weighing his options, Santner felt staying with New Zealand was the right decision. “The offer was good, I’m not going to lie. They knew it would have to be a good offer for me to entertain it with contracting and what would come up,” he said.

Santner also acknowledged that he may not feature in every Test match during the upcoming schedule. Nevertheless, he believes his experience and all-round abilities can still provide value to the national team.

“I did entertain the thought of it, but coming back to what we’ve got coming up, even if I’m not going to play every game of Test cricket, I still feel like there’s a role for me,” he added. New Zealand will host India from October 22 to December 1, with the tour featuring both white-ball fixtures and two Tests. The Black Caps will then travel across the Tasman for a four-match Test series against Australia.

Mitchell Santner has declined a lucrative offer to join the BBL to feature in more Tests ❌ pic.twitter.com/3NPYuAbE9b

— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) September 10, 2026

Santner’s decision is also closely linked to his role as New Zealand’s white-ball captain. He has made it clear that he does not want to sacrifice the leadership position for a franchise opportunity. “I don’t want to give up captaincy. If that was part of the deal, it was a no-brainer for me,” Santner said.

New Zealand’s central-contract system also plays a role in the availability of players for overseas franchise leagues. Centrally contracted players are expected to be available for the Super Smash in January, which overlaps with major overseas competitions such as the BBL and SA20. As a result, several New Zealand players have opted for casual contracts, giving them greater flexibility to participate in franchise cricket while remaining available for international commitments.

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Santner said he has no issue with teammates choosing that route, especially given the financial difference between franchise and international cricket. “There’s no judgment with guys taking casual deals. We aren’t going to keep up with the money for some of these other opportunities going around,” he said.

For Santner, though, the opportunity to contribute during an important phase of New Zealand cricket outweighs the financial benefits of the BBL. “But for me, I still want to be part of New Zealand cricket and what we’ve got coming up,” he added.