Burgess captained New Zealand in 10 of his 50 Tests. During his term as captain, New Zealand only won one Test, his first as captain, in Wellington in 1977–78, but it was an important victory, the first ever by New Zealand over England, in the 48th Test between the two countries. He also captained New Zealand in the 1979 World Cup, when they reached the semi-finals but lost to England by nine runs.