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They say six months is a long time in sport and Martin Guptill can attest to that.
Dropped from the BLACKCAPS cricket team for their one-day international tour of Bangladesh last October, the Auckland Aces batsman now finds himself as an opener in all three forms of the game and a key figure in their World Cup campaign.
He lost confidence last year. He was out of nick, not seeing the ball well and not scoring runs. That equates to tough times for any batsman and the reason he was sent back to the New Zealand A setup.
"It was extremely difficult," Guptill said.
"I just went back and had a look at what I was doing well and what I wasn't, and just started doing the little things right.
"You feel like everything is running against you, whether it be on or off the field. You beat yourself up inside trying to get that confidence and it just doesn't work. You've got to try and stay as confident as possible and hopefully the results come from that."
They did, particularly in the longest form of the game.
He had a good tour of Zimbabwe with the A team and was recalled to the test squad for their matches in India last November.
He did not play the first test but got a chance at No 3 in the second test at Hyderabad and scored 85. It was a pivotal innings for the 24-year-old.
"The first week in India I started to get that confidence back," Guptill said.
"I think it was after the second training before the first test, I started seeing the ball well and hitting the ball well, and from there I went to the second test and got that 85.
"From there I think I've been on quite a high and hopefully it goes well for another couple of years."
He had a poor third test in India with six runs from two innings but there were reasonable returns against Pakistan; two half-centuries and 163 runs at an average of 40.75 making him New Zealand's best batsmen in a lowscoring two-test series.
BLACKCAPS coach John Wright was impressed with Guptill's opening qualities in the second test -- he was at No 3 for the first test -- and he has now been earmarked as a regular opener in the one-day series leading into the World Cup.
It's a position he likes. Although he has spent most of his short international career at No 3, he grew up as an opener and has shown the ability to adapt his game to the situation.
"It's what I'm comfortable with, so at the moment I'm happy with where I'm batting, but I'm also happy to bat at No 3," said Guptill, who averages 33.55 and has an impressive strike rate of 82 from 39 one-day internationals.
"I don't find there's too much (difference). I'll bat anywhere for New Zealand."
The new Guptill-Jesse Ryder combination has only been tested once, notching 84 runs off 60 balls in the first one-day match against Pakistan at Wellington last Saturday.
But it looms as New Zealand's preferred opening pairing for the World Cup despite being broken up after just one hitout, a result of the rotational policy that has been adopted for the Pakistan series. Jamie How will open with Guptill in the third match here on Saturday.
Guptill and Ryder are good mates so, while there has been vigorous debate about whether Ryder and Brendon McCullum should have been broken up in the first place, the pair are happy to forge a combination.
"It's just something I'm going to have to put up with I think," Ryder said with a laugh, nudging Guptill.
"Me and Marty are good mates on and off the field so it's good to be out there opening with them. I think it just comes naturally for us, we know each other's game pretty well and we sort of feed off each other. We have a lot of fun out there."
Guptill returns the love.
"He makes it look too easy sometimes," he said of Ryder.
"The guy's a fantastic talent and hopefully he stays fit over the next couple of years so he can put some big numbers up for New Zealand. I love batting with Jesse. We give each other a bit of stick out there and just try to make batting as fun as we can."
Guptill, who this week signed to play for English county team Derbyshire from June, admits the rotation policy is taking time to get used to.
He would have liked to have another go with Ryder on Saturday, especially after the second match was washed out in Queenstown yesterday, but he understands the thinking behind the changes and believes the rest of the team do, too.
"It's not really disruptive, there's a good feeling in the camp at the moment. We're just looking forward to getting some good weather and getting on to the park for these last four games, which are vital for us going into the World Cup."
New Zealand, who lead the six-match series 1-0, arrived in Christchurch today and were to spend the afternoon undertaking promotional activities.
NZPA
