Wellington gloveman Luke Ronchi has been widely touted as the answer to the Black Caps' wicketkeeping dilemma.
Since Brendon McCullum retired the gloves at test level, the national team has tried Gareth Hopkins, Reece Young, Kruger van Wyk and BJ Watling.
Otago's Derek de Boorder was called into the Black Caps twenty/20 squad for the recent series in South Africa and is another option, so there is plenty of competition for the position.
But what sets Ronchi apart is his batting. In 67 first-class games, the aggressive right-hander has scored 3465 runs at an average of 36.09, including 10 centuries and 13 half-centuries. Most impressively, those runs have been scored at a rapid clip. His strike rate of 81.58 is nothing short of exceptional.
Ronchi, who moved to Perth with his family when he was 7, played four one-day games and three twenty/20 matches for Australia in 2008-09 but is now eligible for New Zealand.
Earlier this week, he was named in a New Zealand XI to play two warm-up twenty/20 matches against England on February 4 and February 6.
It is the opportunity the 31-year-old has been hoping for since he made the decision to move back to his country of birth with his Kiwi wife, Shaan, and son Brody (2) last season.
''I'd been thinking about it for a year or so and halfway through last summer I just decided it was time to have a try and see what happens,'' Ronchi said.
''I thought if I didn't, I'd always regret not trying. At the time I was not playing four-day cricket for WA [Western Australia]. I felt I should have been, so I thought there was no harm in coming over if there was an opportunity.''
The day after making the decision, Wellington was lucky enough to make contact, keen to engage the experienced wicketkeeper-batsman's services as an overseas player.
The move has proved successful. In his first six Plunket Shield games for Wellington, Ronchi scored four centuries and averaged 78.85. He also took 25 catches and made one stumping.
Those sort of performances have rightly attracted a lot of attention. His inclusion in the New Zealand XI is a strong indication Black Caps coach Mike Hesson and national selection manager Kim Littlejohn have taken note.
Dealing with the hype is all part of it, Ronchi said.
''I'm pretty relaxed about all that, really. It is good that your name is out there because it means people are looking at you. If you were having a poor season it wouldn't be so flash but it has been going OK so far and I hope that continues.''
With Ronchi's aggressive approach, he would seem better suited to limited-over formats. But more and more players like Ronchi are finding their way in the test arena.
''Runs are runs. An 80 is an 80, no matter how long it takes. The way I see it, if I think I can hit it, I'm more than likely going to try.''
Ronchi considers himself a wicketkeeper first. That is his main discipline and the one he spends the most time developing. But he is aware batting is a key part of a wicketkeeper's trade.
''Being the best keeper I can be is what Wellington wants and you don't want to drop catches or miss stumpings. But these days, wicketkeepers are expected to make runs. You want to go out and score as many as you can.''
Not surprisingly, Ronchi models his game on Australian great Adam Gilchrist, who redefined the role with his aggressive batting in the middle order and sound work behind the stumps.
Ronchi's elevation to the national team is far from a fait accompli. Watling impressed in South Africa with both the bat and the gloves and McCullum is still happy to do the job in the limited-over formats.
