Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has commentated on New Zealand Cricket (NZC) releasing pacer Trent Boult from the central contract, saying that the 33-year-old star pacer now has to consider his family and financial situation more than ever.

After Boult requested to be released from the central contract so that he could spend more time with his family, NZC stated that the board had agreed to do so.

Speaking on the ICC Review, Ponting claimed that the emergence of new T20 leagues all over the world has made it more difficult for the players to keep up with the full schedule of international cricket.

"I think it's inevitable now with the amount of T20 domestic tournaments that are popping up all around the world now," he said.

“It's just getting harder and harder for these guys to maintain the full schedule of international cricket.” 

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The former cricketer added that Boult needs to think about the financial aspect of the game, indicating that the national contracts could not be comparable to what the Kiwi pacer could make while competing in T20 leagues around the world.

“And for someone like Trent Boult, and no disrespect to New Zealand at all, but I'm sure their national contracts are probably only reflective of maybe what he would make in one of these T20 domestic tournaments,” said Ponting.

"He's coming towards the end of his career and he's got to think about his family and the financial side of the game now, probably more than ever.

“He's right on top of his game as well in all formats, so wherever he goes and chooses to play if it's T20 stuff that he's talking about, then he'll be in very high demand. There's no doubt about it,” he added.

Boult has taken over 500 wickets across all formats of the game while representing his nation in 78 Tests, 94 ODIs, and 46 T20Is.

(ICC INPUTS)