Ben Sears, New Zealand's emerging fast bowler, has been focusing on mental and physical preparation ahead of the team’s upcoming six-Test series in India and Sri Lanka. Known for his reserved personality off the field, Sears transforms into a fierce competitor with a cricket ball in hand, a trait common among fast bowlers. Although relatively new to Test cricket, having played just one match, his raw pace has already earned him a place on New Zealand’s central contracts list.
At 26 years old, Sears has been training hard, recently honing his skills in Chennai, ahead of the series on the subcontinent. His sessions in India tested his abilities against top-tier batsmen, including Rachin Ravindra, and gave him valuable insights into adapting to unfamiliar conditions. Used to the seam-friendly surfaces of New Zealand, particularly at Wellington’s Basin Reserve, Sears now faces the challenge of maintaining his effectiveness in environments where swing may not play as big a role.
Adapting to Subcontinental Conditions
To prepare for the slower, less responsive pitches in India and Sri Lanka, Sears has been working closely with his former Wellington coach, Sriram Krishnamurthy, who now heads the Super Kings Academy in Chennai. Sears acknowledged the value of this opportunity, saying it helped him acclimatise to new conditions and experiment with strategies to suit the subcontinent’s demands. He mentioned that adjusting to the limited swing was crucial, so his focus has shifted toward targeting the stumps more often to create opportunities for dismissals through bowled or LBW decisions.
Krishnamurthy, who has monitored Sears’ development since his Under-19 days, explained that the bowler must now fine-tune his approach to accommodate the variable bounce and slower pitches typical of the region. While conditions in New Zealand often favour swing and seam, requiring fielders to play key roles behind the wicket, subcontinental pitches demand different tactics. Sears will need to rely more on reverse swing and aim for dismissals in front of the wicket to compensate for the lack of lateral movement.
Strengthening Body and Mind
Sears’ journey to this point hasn’t been without setbacks. Over the years, he has faced several injuries that temporarily stalled his progress. However, he has emerged stronger both physically and mentally. Paul Wiseman, New Zealand’s talent identification manager, observed that Sears has matured significantly in recent years, learning how to better manage his body to cope with the rigours of international cricket. Sears himself has realised the importance of recovery and conditioning, allowing him to avoid the overexertion that once led to injury.
Krishnamurthy recalled how, in his younger years, Sears was laser-focused on bowling fast, often overlooking the critical components that enable a bowler to consistently perform at high speeds. However, through his years in domestic cricket and national systems, Sears has now embraced the importance of strength training, rest, and recovery. During a recent camp in Chennai, he resisted the urge to push himself beyond his physical limits, choosing instead to focus on what his body needed.
Sears' growing understanding of his own body and the necessity of balance has helped him evolve into a more complete fast bowler. Additionally, he’s shown potential with the bat, which could further bolster his value to the New Zealand side.
Learning from Top Coaches
Sears credits much of his recent progress to Shane Jurgensen, New Zealand’s former bowling coach and now head coach of Wellington. Working with Jurgensen has enhanced Sears' understanding of the finer details of bowling, especially at the international level. He described Jurgensen as an invaluable mentor, whose extensive experience as a world-class coach has accelerated his learning curve.
With Neil Wagner retiring from international cricket and Kyle Jamieson still sidelined by injury, the New Zealand team is relying on Sears and fellow young bowler Will O’Rourke to inject fresh energy into their pace attack. The subcontinent tour will undoubtedly test Sears, but he enters the series fitter, stronger, and more mentally prepared than ever before, ready to prove himself on the world stage.