Devon Conway

Devon Conway forged his reputation in Wellington, not Johannesburg, where he was born. A left-hander who kept wickets as a junior, he moved to New Zealand in 2017 for a fresh start after a domestic decade in South Africa that never caught the national selectors' eye. The Black Caps saw the potential, and in 2021 he marked his Test debut against England at Lord's with a double century, the highest score by a debutant at the ground.

His white-ball form was just as striking. An unbeaten 99 against Australia early in his T20I career set the tone, and he became a pillar across all three formats. Conway's calm, uncomplicated method, quiet feet, a straight bat and hard running, has produced centuries in Test and ODI cricket, and he was part of the New Zealand squad that won the inaugural World Test Championship in 2021 and reached the T20 World Cup final later that year, a game he missed after breaking his hand punching his bat in the semi-final.

In franchise cricket, Conway has lit up the IPL with Chennai Super Kings, where his ability to anchor chases made him a vital part of their title-winning 2023 season.

Now in his mid-thirties, Conway remains in the frame at the top of New Zealand's order. He was a late bloomer, but in a nation that reveres gritty left-handers he has carved out a career few saw coming when he first landed in Wellington.