Vettori pays tribute to retiring McCullum

Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori is relishing the opportunity to work with Brendon McCullum at Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League as the Black Caps star prepares to retire from international cricket.

Kiwi captain McCullum announced on Tuesday that he will retire from all forms of international cricket after next year's two-Test series against Australia in February.

The 34-year-old, who has made 99 consecutive Test appearances since debuting in 2004, will not pursue Vettori's five-day best mark of 112 caps as he prepares to step away from the international scene before March's World Twenty20 in India.

After completing his New Zealand duties, McCullum will then turn his attention to Australia's Big Bash League, where will he spend the next two seasons with the Vettori-coached Brisbane Heat, having withdrawn from this season's BBL because of international commitments.

"To have gone through such a long career as a wicket-keeper, opening batsman and captain, he's covered a lot of bases for New Zealand cricket and has done an amazing job every time he's taken the field," Vettori said via the Heat's official website.

"The fact he's going to be the first cricketer to play 100 straight Tests, there's so much to celebrate.

"Like all retired cricketers he'll have the chance to play in a variety of T20 competitions next year, so he certainly won't come to Brisbane underdone.

"I spoke to him recently and he's very excited about playing for the Heat and I know our playing group are just as excited to have him here."

From his 99 Tests so far, McCullum has scored 6,273 runs at an average of 38.48, but he will bow out of the game with several notable records to his name.

His 302 at Basin Reserve against India in February 2014 was the first triple century scored by a New Zealander in Test cricket, leading the Black Caps to a record total of 680-6 declared - a Test record for any third innings.

McCullum has tallied 5,909 runs at 30.30 in 254 one-day international appearances, while he was the first batsman to reach 1,000 runs in T20 internationals, and has gone to rack up 2,140 runs in 71 games in the shortest format.