World’s best batting unit

and 16 minutes between dismissals.

In a staggering feat, given he kept wicket for 124 overs in England’s first innings, Watling passed Brendon McCullum’s 185 against Bangladesh as the highest score by a New Zealand test gloveman.

Said Stead of Watling, who’s scored the most runs and taken the most dismissals of any test gloveman this decade: ‘‘The thing that stands out for me is his pure bloody-mindedness of getting the job done.

‘‘He’s very much a team man and puts his own performances to the side and says ‘what does the team need me to do here’.

Black Caps test batting averages:

Kane Williamson 52.21

Ross Taylor

46.37 Henry Nicholls

44.16

Tom Latham

43.57

BJ Watling

40.51

Colin de Grandhomme

40.33

‘‘A double hundred when we were under the pump is testament to the player he is and I’m struggling to think of someone in test cricket who is a keeperbatsman who offers more than he does at the moment.’’

Then there’s de Grandhomme, whose batting average since the Sri Lanka test in Wellington is 92, after he scored 65 in New Zealand’s first innings.

It’s not just with the bat he’s contributing but with the ball, snaring crucial day-one wickets, then the key strike to remove Root on Monday. After 19 tests he averages 40.33 with the bat and 29.63 with the ball, world class for any allrounder.

England star Ben Stokes, from 58 tests, averages 36.03 with the bat and 32.77 with the ball.

‘‘His contribution is bigger than what people realise,’’ the coach said of de Grandhomme.

‘‘From a batting perspective I thought he played a really mature innings.

‘‘He’s known for the flamboyant style but he was much more reserved which shows he has the ability to play in different ways which is important.

‘‘With his bowling, he plays a different role to Ben Stokes. Colin plays a more holding role for us and the idea is he doesn’t go for too many and he ties people up to create wickets at the other end.’’