The unfashionable all-rounder has continued to defy the critics with his wobbly medium pacers and heavy-hitting approach to the game.
He oscillates between hero and villain, depending on whether he has clubbed the ball straight to a fielder at cow corner or over the rope.
But the guy averages more than 40 with the bat and dips under 30 with the ball.
That is a big selling point. But he has been ruled out with a tear in his lower abdominal muscle nobody knew about until it was sprung on everyone in a press release mid-week.
Trent Boult’s absence due to a rib injury was less of a surprise. He pulled up on the last day of the first test against England and is unavailable for the second at Seddon Park today.
Normally any injury news around Boult would be followed by widespread despair. But the Black Caps have two quality replacements waiting for a run.
Canterbury’s Matt Henry has been unlucky not to play more test cricket and Auckland paceman Lockie Ferguson’s maiden test appearance has been eagerly anticipated for some time.
He was a revelation at the World Cup, but was overlooked for the first test.
Which one of those men will get the nod is unclear. They both offer something different.
Henry’s main weapon is swing, while Ferguson is express and possesses a rapid bouncer and very decent yorker.
Ross Taylor fronted the media yesterday and was not giving anything away on that front.
He did confirm, though, that Daryl Mitchell would play in de Grandhomme’s spot.
Mitchell, the son of former All Blacks coach John Mitchell, has played a handful of twenty20s for New Zealand with minimal success.
He is a similar type of player to de Grandhomme. His batting is probably on par, although he is a lot less aggressive.
His bowling is a downgrade, though. The right-armer gets the ball through at a similar pace but does not wobble the ball around as much and has taken about a third of first-class wickets de Grandhomme has captured.
Taylor said he was looking forward to seeing how Mitchell goes.
"Obviously it is an exciting time for him ... and he has some big shoes to fill," Taylor said.
"He's had some experience at twenty20 level and obviously had a very good campaign around first-class scene.
"He's pretty level-headed, he hasn't shown much emotion.
"I'm sure he will be nervous. But I'm sure that twenty20 experience will give him something to fall back on."
Taylor said the wicket at Seddon Park had dried out and the overhead conditions this morning would play a part in which seamer gets the nod.
