"Some of the taller guys have a naturally advantage with longer levers," Franklin says. "They give you a natural advantage over smaller guys. I'd say Guppy is the longest and hardest hitter of the ball at the moment.
"Bragging rights are nice but what we focus on is hitting to areas of the ground we can reach during practice. It's important to know where you can access under pressure. My greatest strength is a natural swing from cover through to square leg. Other guys prefer mid-off to third man, slicing the ball more. I'm working at that."
Franklin has also contributed as a lieutenant under current-skipper Brendon McCullum. He has been spied offering a quiet word at mid-off to bowlers feeling the full batting force of T20. A trust exists with McCullum from the days when their relationship was reversed; Franklin led a New Zealand team including McCullum to the 2000 under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka.
"Brendon wants feedback as captain," Franklin says. "If there is something to be looked at, then I'll offer advice. I'm trying to help guys out leadership-wise. In 13 seasons of top-level cricket I like to think I can bring some calmness to tight situations."
Franklin struggled to make it work the other night as he desperately sought to get on strike to finish the third T20 against South Africa. However he did star earlier in the match. A rare outing with the ball saw him dismiss record-breaking centurion Richard Levi in his first over. He also defended Jesse Ryder for an innings where his momentum was perceived to have been stunted by the prospect of making a half-century. He also hit a sound 32 last night off 37 balls.
Franklin has held his nerve in plenty of tight incidents over the last year outside the New Zealand set-up. He was signed to the Mumbai Indians on a US$100,000 per annum deal in the Indian Premier League and shone as arguably the best-value buy. In the 2011 edition he had the team's highest average (53.50 from five innings with three not outs) and a strike rate of 137, eclipsing the team's star Sachin Tendulkar on both counts. Franklin guided Mumbai to one game shy of the final with 29 off 25 balls and 45 off 27 balls in the last over of respective matches against Kolkata. In the Champions League final in October, he made a match-winning 41 off 29 balls to beat Daniel Vettori's Royal Challengers Bangalore.
"Winning that was a highlight," Franklin says. "I'm looking forward to going back [on a three-year contract]. It's been terrific rubbing shoulders with legends of the game whom you watched during your teenage years. That adds motivation. If you do well, you can extend your career - as we're seeing with guys playing in their late 30s and early 40s."
The IPL cash is welcome because bizarrely Franklin does not have a top-20 central NZC contract.
He makes a maximum of $37,500 through Wellington plus domestic and international match fees. Budgetary constraints mean he has not been upgraded this financial year.
Last year he was rewarded with a contract after his batting almost single-handedly saved face for New Zealand during a series of ODI defeats in India.
Yet as much as he enjoys the limited overs game Franklin still hopes to add to his 27 tests as an all-rounder: "I'd dearly love to play in tests but that's for someone else to decide.
"Recently my batting has been dominant but I'm still working hard bowling in the nets. I still think I can chip in with valuable wickets."
