New Zealand wicketkeeper Glenn Phillips produced one of the standout moments of 2025 during the Super Smash on Tuesday, December 30, when he changed his stance in the middle innings and batted left-handed without missing a beat.
The right-hander turned his southpaw and went to sprinkle the field with boundaries and sixes, mixing alternate shots with orthodox drives. Phillips has looked more confident playing for placement than brute force, which was a surprise given his reputation as a power forward.
Clips of the innings quickly went viral, with fans hailing Phillips’ versatility. Already regarded as one of New Zealand’s most adaptable cricketers, he has added another layer to his batting arsenal. While switching stances has been popularized in the past by David Warner, Phillips’ execution in a competitive home game stood out for its control and intent.
On the day, Phillips’ unbeaten 90 took Otago to a commanding 193/7. Central Circuits were restricted to 152/8 in reply.
Explaining the move after the match, Phillips revealed that it was something he had been working on away from the spotlight.
“I did it on the networks for a while, but I never really got it off the ground,” Phillips told TVNZ.
“Obviously it’s a bit of an interesting thing, the change in the game of professional cricket. I’ve been stroking it better in the nets recently when I’m left-handed than when I’m right-handed. So it made sense to at least give it a try when there was nothing left to lose.”
Glenn Phillips plays for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League. He was unable to showcase his talent as well as he would have liked in the tournament. In the two seasons he played, Phillips scored 65 runs in 8 games.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
December 30, 2025
