June 28, 2025 • 8 mins
Bevon Jacobs is hoping that sharing a changing room with Indian cricket superstars such as Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah will serve him well for his country.
The Auckland batter's the only uncapped player in the 15-man squad for next month's T20 tri-series against South Africa and hosts Zimbabwe.
Jacobs was part of the Mumbai squad in the latest edition of the Indian Premier League - in an unusual case of cracking an IPL contract before playing internationally.
He joined Piney to discuss further.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Talk zed b Well's Auckland AS's batter. Bevan Jacobs meantime
in line to make his Black Caps debut. He's been
included in the fifteen strong squad for next month's T
twenty try series with South Africa and hosts Zimbabwe. Fitting
in the air all the way for six Jacobs. We
know what he can do. It's an outstanding piece of
timing and it brings up his fifty as well from
(00:31):
just thirty three balls. He was crazy. He's got such
a long stripe tossed up and he said, I'll have
a piece of that straight over, long off. Great way
to bring up fifty. Bevan Jacobs the only uncapped player
in the touring party. He is with us now. Congrats
on your selection, Bevin. How excited are you to be
named again in a New Zealand squad, having of course
been named in that one to face Sri Lanka back
(00:51):
in December but not getting onto the field.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Thanks, Jasinya. I'm very excited, you know, I really can't
wait to travel with the groups, get back with them,
you know, since being amongst that tour with Sri Lanka
over here. I mean, it was a great bunch of lads,
and yeah, I'm just looking forward to being with the
group again.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Even though you didn't take the field in those three matches,
was there still value for you in being in the environment. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Absolutely. You know, you've got world class players in that
group and a lot of guys that are easy to
have conversations with, you know, very approachable. They made the
environment seem really open and you know, it was easy
to talk to them and you pack their brains and
learn from them because there's a wealth of knowledge there
that I'd like to try and tap into and I
have that opportunity, and you know that that was really
something that they looked after. Well for me when I
(01:36):
was with them.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Was it challenging not playing though? I mean I think
everybody wants to play, don't they.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, of course, you know, it's obviously it's something you
want to do. Like you, as I've said many times,
I think you know, representing New Zealands is the dream
of mine. Playing for the Black Cats, so obviously, like
one part of you is guarded that you don't play,
but the other part, you know, is just it's really
grateful for the experience of being able to be amongst
the group and and you know, chat to them and
learn something new about your game as well. So there's
always there's always two sides of the coin.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Well, I feel like your time will be coming in
the next month or so. Just before we get onto that,
tell us about your experience in the i p L
in recent weeks.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Yeah, IPL was was amazing. I mean the amount of
experience and world class players in that group, you know,
second to none. So that was really special for me,
being able to challenge myself, especially in those overseas conditions.
Being in India for the first time, it was all
it was all new to me. So yeah, being able
to be put under the pump and be challenged world
(02:31):
class bowlers on those sorts of conditions was really beneficial
for me in my game. And then just having those
those players around me who I could you know, talk
to and have conversations with and learn something about them
to bring into my own game.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Wow, So that was your first time over there, bit
of an assault on the scene, says, your first time
in India area in the in the i p L.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Yeah, it was a bit of a bit of a
change of scenery for me from usual. So it was
definitely you know, you always hear the stories and everything
about everyone's experiences and the IPL, but to actually be
the you know, you experience it yourself is something pretty
special and quite different obviously, So yeah, it was. It
was pretty awesome to be part of it.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Let's talk about the type of crack that you are.
You've filled a couple of different roles during your time
at the elite level in T twenty, I remember you
were sort of a finisher when you were with Canterbury.
You've moved further up the order with Auckland. Where do
you prefer to bat in T twenty cricket? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Look, for me, I think at the moment, I'm just
trying to do my job for what's best for the team.
And you know, I f with Auckland that I was
fortunate enough to move up the order and have a
little bit more time in the middle for me to bat,
and that's where the best amongst the group, and I'm
pretty happy to bat there. You know, I think middle
order for my current progression, I guess, and for where
(03:41):
I sit right now with my career, I'm I'm pretty
happy there. And you know, to try and have that
responsibility on me to finish the endings. It's obviously it
can be a tough role, but it's something that I've
had a little bit of success with in the short
time and hopefully I can continue that.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
On what I know. Match situations are different. But what
is your general approach to batting in T twenty cricket?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, well, look, for me, I think it comes back
to kind of trusting my sk and making sure that
when I'm out there, I'm pretty focused on I'm present
and I'm just reacting.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
I feel like when you play your best cricket, you're
kind of in that zone and you're acting. Obviously you've
got a game plan out there, you're reading the situation.
But I guess, just me personally, I'm always trying to
play a positive brand of cricket, and positive can look
in different ways on different conditions, and sometimes it means boundaries.
Sometimes it's just since at the crease or being busy,
et cetera, et cetera. But I think the most important
(04:31):
thing about me and my role is to make sure
I'm just reading the game properly and knowing what's best
for the team in that current situation.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
You're well known as a power hitter. Where do you
generate the power from I.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Mean power heading? It does come from a lot of training. Obviously,
there's that that's massive and probably the biggest aspect on it.
I like to work on it specifically and have a
separate part of my training sectioned off for tile hitting,
where I focus on overheading and underheading and hand speed,
et cetera, et cetera. I could delve a little bit
deeper into that at a later time, but there is
(05:05):
obviously that section, and then I guess I just try
to use, you know, some of the natural stuff that
I've got, like my heights and my levers to my
advantage as well to try and make sure I can
use that as an extra bit of power in my game.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
When you're looking at developing your T twenty batting, are
you looking to find new scoring areas or is it
more about being more effective in the ones which are
already prolific for you?
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Yeah, I reckon it's about finding the right balance between
the two, because obviously there's for me, there's I've got
my strengths and things that I like to gravitate towards too,
and that, like you say, are prolific for me, and
what people look at when they see me is they
see that. And then obviously there's a balance between me
trying to find cool how otherwise I can challenge myself
or off put the bowler and find ways to score
(05:49):
in different areas, and then that brings my strengths back
into the game when they have to change the field
and et cetera, et cetera. So I guess that's where
it also comes into reading the game situation where I
am in the middle, and then obviously, yeah, trying to balance,
you know, working on those work ons that making sure
I keep my strength throughout the season.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
I guess it's it's easy to forget you're a you know,
you're a pretty decent red ball cricketer as well, or
already a century in three fifties for Aukland. You average
close to sixty in first class cricket all but a
small sample size. But do you consider yourself an all
format cricketer.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Yeah, it's definitely a goal of mine. Like obviously, I'm
I'm really grateful and fortunate to have something identified in
my game with the powerheading and being a finisher, which
can which has obviously got me this call up, which
I'm incredibly grateful for, but obviously for me as a
player and in the long run, my goal would be
to play three formats in New Zealand. Like that's that's
the dream of mine. And be it some T twenty
(06:43):
franchise opportunities such as Mumbai has come my way. It's efic,
it's awesome. I can take that as it comes and
then but yeah, long run for me, it's it's three
formats in New Zealand and playing test cricket and of.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Course there's a T twenty World Cup not too far
away early part of twenty twenty six. Is that something
that you've you've got a bit of an eye on.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
It's definitely a goal. I mean, everyone everyone wants to
player will cut, don't they that? Again? That will be
something pretty special and take playing for the Black Cats
to a whole new level, you know. So it's definitely
it's definitely a goal that I set for myself. And
I guess all I can do is control what I
can and you know, keep working hard and see if
it comes into fruition.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
You were born in South Africa, of course you've just
about lost the accent, there's just a little ends of
it still there. How special would it be, though, to
play against the nation of your birth a couple of
the games in this trice herees coming up next months,
or against South Africa? How special would that be for you? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I think I think that would be pretty cool. I mean,
obviously I see myself very much as a Kiwi, but
I've still got family over there and family in New
Zealand who's you know, still speak up at home, So
I guess it would be pretty special for them and
for me in some ways obviously, play against them in
a debut that Yeah, I think that would be. That
would be pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Congratulations on your inclusion, Bevin. Been great to get the
chance to chat. All the best made and let's hope
that you get that debut and it's the first of
many made.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Thanks Jason, appreciate your time. Have a good one.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
You have a good one, and thanks indeed.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live
to News Talk st B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Talk zed b Well's Auckland AS's batter. Bevan Jacobs meantime
in line to make his Black Caps debut. He's been
included in the fifteen strong squad for next month's T
twenty try series with South Africa and hosts Zimbabwe. Fitting
in the air all the way for six Jacobs. We
know what he can do. It's an outstanding piece of
timing and it brings up his fifty as well from
(00:31):
just thirty three balls. He was crazy. He's got such
a long stripe tossed up and he said, I'll have
a piece of that straight over, long off. Great way
to bring up fifty. Bevan Jacobs the only uncapped player
in the touring party. He is with us now. Congrats
on your selection, Bevin. How excited are you to be
named again in a New Zealand squad, having of course
been named in that one to face Sri Lanka back
(00:51):
in December but not getting onto the field.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Thanks, Jasinya. I'm very excited, you know, I really can't
wait to travel with the groups, get back with them,
you know, since being amongst that tour with Sri Lanka
over here. I mean, it was a great bunch of lads,
and yeah, I'm just looking forward to being with the
group again.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Even though you didn't take the field in those three matches,
was there still value for you in being in the environment. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
Absolutely. You know, you've got world class players in that
group and a lot of guys that are easy to
have conversations with, you know, very approachable. They made the
environment seem really open and you know, it was easy
to talk to them and you pack their brains and
learn from them because there's a wealth of knowledge there
that I'd like to try and tap into and I
have that opportunity, and you know that that was really
something that they looked after. Well for me when I
(01:36):
was with them.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Was it challenging not playing though? I mean I think
everybody wants to play, don't they.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, of course, you know, it's obviously it's something you
want to do. Like you, as I've said many times,
I think you know, representing New Zealands is the dream
of mine. Playing for the Black Cats, so obviously, like
one part of you is guarded that you don't play,
but the other part, you know, is just it's really
grateful for the experience of being able to be amongst
the group and and you know, chat to them and
learn something new about your game as well. So there's
always there's always two sides of the coin.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Well, I feel like your time will be coming in
the next month or so. Just before we get onto that,
tell us about your experience in the i p L
in recent weeks.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Yeah, IPL was was amazing. I mean the amount of
experience and world class players in that group, you know,
second to none. So that was really special for me,
being able to challenge myself, especially in those overseas conditions.
Being in India for the first time, it was all
it was all new to me. So yeah, being able
to be put under the pump and be challenged world
(02:31):
class bowlers on those sorts of conditions was really beneficial
for me in my game. And then just having those
those players around me who I could you know, talk
to and have conversations with and learn something about them
to bring into my own game.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Wow, So that was your first time over there, bit
of an assault on the scene, says, your first time
in India area in the in the i p L.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Yeah, it was a bit of a bit of a
change of scenery for me from usual. So it was
definitely you know, you always hear the stories and everything
about everyone's experiences and the IPL, but to actually be
the you know, you experience it yourself is something pretty
special and quite different obviously, So yeah, it was. It
was pretty awesome to be part of it.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Let's talk about the type of crack that you are.
You've filled a couple of different roles during your time
at the elite level in T twenty, I remember you
were sort of a finisher when you were with Canterbury.
You've moved further up the order with Auckland. Where do
you prefer to bat in T twenty cricket? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Look, for me, I think at the moment, I'm just
trying to do my job for what's best for the team.
And you know, I f with Auckland that I was
fortunate enough to move up the order and have a
little bit more time in the middle for me to bat,
and that's where the best amongst the group, and I'm
pretty happy to bat there. You know, I think middle
order for my current progression, I guess, and for where
(03:41):
I sit right now with my career, I'm I'm pretty
happy there. And you know, to try and have that
responsibility on me to finish the endings. It's obviously it
can be a tough role, but it's something that I've
had a little bit of success with in the short
time and hopefully I can continue that.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
On what I know. Match situations are different. But what
is your general approach to batting in T twenty cricket?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, well, look, for me, I think it comes back
to kind of trusting my sk and making sure that
when I'm out there, I'm pretty focused on I'm present
and I'm just reacting.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
You know.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
I feel like when you play your best cricket, you're
kind of in that zone and you're acting. Obviously you've
got a game plan out there, you're reading the situation.
But I guess, just me personally, I'm always trying to
play a positive brand of cricket, and positive can look
in different ways on different conditions, and sometimes it means boundaries.
Sometimes it's just since at the crease or being busy,
et cetera, et cetera. But I think the most important
(04:31):
thing about me and my role is to make sure
I'm just reading the game properly and knowing what's best
for the team in that current situation.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
You're well known as a power hitter. Where do you
generate the power from I.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Mean power heading? It does come from a lot of training. Obviously,
there's that that's massive and probably the biggest aspect on it.
I like to work on it specifically and have a
separate part of my training sectioned off for tile hitting,
where I focus on overheading and underheading and hand speed,
et cetera, et cetera. I could delve a little bit
deeper into that at a later time, but there is
(05:05):
obviously that section, and then I guess I just try
to use, you know, some of the natural stuff that
I've got, like my heights and my levers to my
advantage as well to try and make sure I can
use that as an extra bit of power in my game.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
When you're looking at developing your T twenty batting, are
you looking to find new scoring areas or is it
more about being more effective in the ones which are
already prolific for you?
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Yeah, I reckon it's about finding the right balance between
the two, because obviously there's for me, there's I've got
my strengths and things that I like to gravitate towards too,
and that, like you say, are prolific for me, and
what people look at when they see me is they
see that. And then obviously there's a balance between me
trying to find cool how otherwise I can challenge myself
or off put the bowler and find ways to score
(05:49):
in different areas, and then that brings my strengths back
into the game when they have to change the field
and et cetera, et cetera. So I guess that's where
it also comes into reading the game situation where I
am in the middle, and then obviously, yeah, trying to balance,
you know, working on those work ons that making sure
I keep my strength throughout the season.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
I guess it's it's easy to forget you're a you know,
you're a pretty decent red ball cricketer as well, or
already a century in three fifties for Aukland. You average
close to sixty in first class cricket all but a
small sample size. But do you consider yourself an all
format cricketer.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Yeah, it's definitely a goal of mine. Like obviously, I'm
I'm really grateful and fortunate to have something identified in
my game with the powerheading and being a finisher, which
can which has obviously got me this call up, which
I'm incredibly grateful for, but obviously for me as a
player and in the long run, my goal would be
to play three formats in New Zealand. Like that's that's
the dream of mine. And be it some T twenty
(06:43):
franchise opportunities such as Mumbai has come my way. It's efic,
it's awesome. I can take that as it comes and
then but yeah, long run for me, it's it's three
formats in New Zealand and playing test cricket and of.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Course there's a T twenty World Cup not too far
away early part of twenty twenty six. Is that something
that you've you've got a bit of an eye on.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
It's definitely a goal. I mean, everyone everyone wants to
player will cut, don't they that? Again? That will be
something pretty special and take playing for the Black Cats
to a whole new level, you know. So it's definitely
it's definitely a goal that I set for myself. And
I guess all I can do is control what I
can and you know, keep working hard and see if
it comes into fruition.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
You were born in South Africa, of course you've just
about lost the accent, there's just a little ends of
it still there. How special would it be, though, to
play against the nation of your birth a couple of
the games in this trice herees coming up next months,
or against South Africa? How special would that be for you? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I think I think that would be pretty cool. I mean,
obviously I see myself very much as a Kiwi, but
I've still got family over there and family in New
Zealand who's you know, still speak up at home, So
I guess it would be pretty special for them and
for me in some ways obviously, play against them in
a debut that Yeah, I think that would be. That
would be pretty cool.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Congratulations on your inclusion, Bevin. Been great to get the
chance to chat. All the best made and let's hope
that you get that debut and it's the first of
many made.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Thanks Jason, appreciate your time. Have a good one.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
You have a good one, and thanks indeed.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live
to News Talk st B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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