New Zealand's Wagner retires from international cricket

New Zealand paceman Neil Wagner has called time on his 64-test career, bowing out as the nation's fifth highest wicket-taker with 260 victims.

Wagner was picked in the squad for the two-test series against Australia starting in Wellington on Thursday but was told by selectors he would not feature in either the opener or the second match in Christchurch.

"It’s been an emotional week," the South Africa-born 37-year-old said on Tuesday.

"It’s not easy to step away from something you’ve given so much to and got so much out of, but it’s now time for others to step up and take this team forward."

A fiery swing bowler and fan favourite, left-armer Wagner was instrumental in New Zealand's rise to the world number one ranking and inaugural World Test Championship win in 2021.

He retires with an outstanding bowling average of 27.57 runs and a strike rate of 52, only bettered by Richard Hadlee (50) among New Zealanders to have taken more than 100 test wickets.

He announced his retirement at a press conference with New Zealand head coach and selector Gary Stead at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Wagner will continue to play first class cricket but said the time was right to step away from tests.

"They sometimes say when you think about retirement, you're screwed in a way," he added.

"I thought it was the right time to step down and let the other guys come in and do what we've been doing as a group for a number of years and obviously grow that attack.

"It's never easy. It's an emotional road. It's a big roller coaster, but it's ... the time to pass that baton on and leave that Black Cap in a good place for the rest to take it and hopefully grow their legacy forward."