But this New Zealand side has come such a long way, and McCullum - an oft-criticised character for playing rash strokes that curtailed his stunning batsmanship - stands at the centre. Under McCullum's leadership, the team and thus the game is in its best shape ever.
Can it be that not so long ago McCullum seemed to represent, to some, the age of self-centred career objectives over the noble business of surrendering all for the national team's cause? Or something like that.
Yet McCullum hasn't reinvented himself at all. He has found a way to plunder runs more consistently, while others reinvented their opinion of him or got to figure out what he is actually about.
There will be different perspectives on the McCullum path but one thing is certain - his image has undergone a u-turn.
Saturday's World Cup victory over Australia was almost too perfect for words - a rare case in sport of the outcome beating the hell out of the build-up.
A tournament crying out for a nail-biting finish between heavyweights got it. McCullum provided the subplot of quiet courage, taking a savage blow during another terrific innings.
Surely everyone echoed TV cricket and rugby commentator Ian Smith, who said he had never experienced an atmosphere to match it in any New Zealand sport. The praise extended to the Eden Park battle zone, with veteran Australian commentator Jim Maxwell describing the pitch as easily the best drop-in version he had seen. The pitch is not the only replacement concept that is working a treat.
That infamous Sri Lankan hotel room meeting painted McCullum as an accidental test captain, but coach Mike Hesson's decision to remove Ross Taylor for McCullum in the short form teams was always a well-calculated move.
McCullum has proven the perfect man for swashbuckling times and heck, young fans never left his side anyway while the rest of us were picking apart his frustrating batting performances.
It's easy to see why, because he is the bloke youngsters would aspire to be in the way that football kids have wanted to emulate George Best or Maradona before settling for reality.
Compiling great innings is a wonderful art, but tearing attacks apart is a place beyond compare.
Now all the adults are joining the kids.
McCullum's captaincy is lauded by those in the know, while he and Hesson have moulded a side of fierce-but-calm determination, analysis and ability.
The measured reaction of Kane Williamson to his victory six said heaps about how this team operates.
Hadlee and McCullum are poles apart in some respects.
Hadlee, the legend, was highly motivated by personal milestones and he can still quote them to an inch of their lives. McCullum reeks of a team ethos that his risky batsmanship once disguised.
And what of a real McCullum knighthood, should New Zealand actually win the World Cup?
I'm in the camp that hates the awards system anyway, so best to withdraw the bat on that issue.
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