Guptill’s return timely
In World Cup year, the return of Martin Guptill to the national one-day side feels like an unlikely fillip.
The 32-year-old was the highest scorer of the 2015 tournament in New Zealand and Australia, making a phenomenal unbeaten 237 in the quarterfinal against the West Indies in Wellington.
Sidelined by injuries since the end of last summer, the Black Caps opener will don the pads against Sri Lanka today at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui in the first of three one-dayers.
While the squad for the World Cup starting in England in May has yet to be finalised, Guptill will be an obvious selection should he find any semblance of international form and stay fit.
‘‘It’s fair to say I may be a bit rusty . . . I was rusty the other day playing for Auckland,’’ Guptill said. ‘‘Hopefully the cobwebs can be blown out in the nets.
‘‘I haven’t played for NZ since last summer, which is quite a long time ago. To be back here is extremely exciting and I’m looking forward to getting into it.’’
As will his team-mates and fans – the hard-hitting righthander has been a prolific whiteball batsman for New Zealand for almost a decade.
From 159 ODI matches, he averages an impressive 42.99, with 13 tons and 34 half-centuries. And for anyone thinking he’d reached his peak at the World Cup, where he had back-to-back innings of 105 and 237 not out, Guptill’s average over the following three years was just a nudge shy of 50.
So his belligerence at the top of the order – in combination with fellow dasher Colin Munro – could play a huge part in how NZ fares over the string of ODIs versus Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh and more importantly, at the World Cup. ‘‘The more one-day cricket you play the better. There’s no better preparation than playing a series. Before the last World Cup, we played Sri Lanka in a sevenmatch series and then Pakistan in a two-game series and that put us in a really good stead for the World Cup.’’
But he’s wary of reading too much into prior performances as a form guide. ‘‘We possibly played our best one-day game ever in the semifinal against South Africa. Obviously we didn’t play as well as we could have in the final but all that’s ancient history now.’’
Guptill said he hasn’t had any issues with his calf injury since he’s returned to action for Auckland, but also has to take care of his troublesome hamstrings.
He expects skipper Kane Williamson not to seek any great variety in how he plays the game.
‘‘I don’t see my role changing too much in this side – Colin [Munro] and I have just got to go out there and show what we can do and have a bit of fun at the top of the order.’’ Williamson said on Wednesday that the playing XI was yet to be selected, while the Sri Lankan squad features some new names to the side which lost the test series 1-0. Veteran quick bowler Lasith Malinga will captain the visitors.