Vettori said the decision to step down had nothing to do with New Zealand's recent run of poor form.

"I made that decision three and a half years ago. So that's it. My timing was always to finish after the World Cup and that stays the same," he said.

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Despite giving up the captaincy, Vettori dismissed talk that he was going to retire altogether, FOX Sports reports.

"Test cricket is the part of the game I love. I want to play for as long as I can. There are still a lot of things I want to achieve, so there's no way I'm stepping away from Test cricket," he said.

Under Vettori's leadership, New Zealand has won just six Tests in three years, with four of those wins coming against Bangladesh.