The fact Neil Broom is seen as the next best one-day international No.4 in the country after Ross Taylor will surprise some New Zealand cricket fans.
However, the 33-year-old's maturity as a limited overs batsman in recent seasons is worth scrutiny.
Selector Gavin Larsen pointed out Broom was the top run-scorer in the Ford Trophy last year, and at a respectable strike rate of 91. No one else scored three centuries and his 84.66 average was the best for anyone dismissed more than once.
Built around that form have been consistent seasons of work at List A level. In 2012-13 he averaged 52.20, in 2014-15 it was 54.16 and at Derbyshire this year he averaged 59. He only played one match in 2013-14.
For Broom to give up his second year of an English county contract is a significant sacrifice. It indicates he will either be persevered with for a set period in black clothing, or he has taken an independent gambit that he can sustain a place, even when Taylor returns.
Broom's return comes with a sense of justice. Having played 22 ODIs (from January 2009 to March 2010) and 10 T20Is (nine in 2009 and one in 2013), he could be forgiven for thinking his international prospects had waned.
He is playing his 14th season of domestic cricket and has been in promising form. His first-class best is 161 for Otago against Auckland and he top scored with 57 off 35 balls in Otago's two-run Super Smash win over Northern Districts on Wednesday.
Inviting Broom to play at No.4 when his ODI average is 17.52 will no doubt raise eyebrows as to whether he has grown enough as a cricketer to overcome previous vulnerabilities. In his defence, he only batted above No.6 in four of his 22 innings and often had to come out swinging to up the run rate.
Regardless, it'll be an intriguing prospect when he presumably comes to the wicket on Boxing Day for the first ODI against Bangladesh.
