KEY POINTS:
Brendon McCullum isn't much taken with statistics, although he makes an exception for the one category nobody monitors.
New Zealand's blossoming keeper-batsman said he had nothing against the shadowy world of wagon-wheels and run-charts but, when it came to glovework, the bottom line for wicket-keepers was the number of chances missed.
It is a topic dear to McCullum's heart after his early career was blighted by the occasional inexplicable lapse, the most memorable being a dropped catch off Indian right-hander Rahul Dravid during New Zealand's last game of the 2003 World Cup.
Chasing just 147, India were 22 for three with Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar back in the hutch when McCullum put down the regulation catch off Dravid, who then led his team to victory with an unbeaten 53.
It was a nightmare of a miss, and with others cast a slightly shaky aura over his early work behind the stumps.
But no more.
If McCullum has impressed with his batting of late, he also seems to have made a step up with his wicket-keeping, bringing a consistency to his game that wasn't always apparent, and a reliability of a triple A-type standard.
From what could be seen of the Champions Trophy in India, he was arguably the best wicket-keeper on show, and now seems ready to build on the world-class reputations forged by his two predecessors - Ian Smith and Adam Parore.
"I better not speak too soon, but I guess you gain more experience and start to have a bit more trust in your game and in the development you've made," McCullum said of his wicket-keeping.
"For me, I think the early career lapses were probably due to a touch of anxiety, trying not to make a mistake rather than putting myself in a position where I could do something brilliant.
"I hope I'm getting more consistent; it's certainly something I've been striving for in my keeping - and my batting for that matter."
The batting will almost certainly look after itself, such is the talent McCullum brings to the crease.
As long as the 25-year-old receives adequate opportunity, he'll almost certainly become one of New Zealand's batting mainstays in the years to come, and is already doing well enough at No 7 to suggest a possible promotion.
McCullum averages 32.81 with the bat, having scored a couple of centuries, a 99 against Sri Lanka last year and a 96 against England at Lord's in 2004, and has already set his mind on more centuries, and hoisting his average above 40.00.
"I wouldn't say I'm totally motivated by stats but at the same time it's a decent reflection of your abilities and I think a batting average of 32 is neither here nor there. I'd like to try and bump it up above 40 - that's the mark of a good test batsman.
"For me, it's just as much about the number of match-winning roles you can offer, and how many hundreds you can post. That's probably more important than my average, to be honest."
His role at No 7 cannot be underestimated, in that he could find himself required in virtually any situation, from trying to repair a calamity at the top of the order, to attempting to capitalise on some prolific work from the batsmen ahead of him.
"Coming in at No 7, you never know what to expect," he said. "You could be coming in against the first new ball after the top's been knocked off, or you could be coming in at 300 for five - so somehow you've got to be in the right frame of mind to deal with all contingencies."
McCullum welcomed the two tests against Sri Lanka, the only two he'll play until the end of next year, and said everyone in the side was desperate to make the most of the opportunity.
"It's quite an important time for us, in that there's only the two tests. I guess you want to notch up some decent results in the brief time there is, and for me that means scoring runs and continuing my development with the gloves.
"It's a good chance to build some momentum for a pretty big season ahead."
