And before last year's Cricket World Cup, he warmly recounted how he celebrated New Year's Day 2015 with his cousin in Australia.
"All the kids were there, the cousins," he said.
From the archives: Russell and Martin Crowe interview (app users tap here)
How the Herald followed Martin Crowe through the years:
1981: Martin Crowe - First mention
1984: 'Hogan' hero with first century
1985: Heroic innings earns NZ dignified draw
1985: Heroes' Problems
1986: Master cricketer in the making
1990: Cricket team aim to please public
1990: Crowe column - The way of things in Pakistan tests
1991: Crowe and Jones break world record: 467 reasons to be celebrating
1992: Win or lose, NZ have done the fans proud
1994: Crowe turned on batting heat after false alarm
1996: Martin Crowe: a batsman who brushed the stars
Martin Crowe 1962-2016
September 22, 1962 - born in Henderson, Auckland to parents Audrey and Dave Crowe of Titirangi.
1968 - joined Cornwall Cricket Club, establishing a lifelong link.
1976-1980 - attended Auckland Grammar, becoming deputy head boy in his final year and, in addition to cricket commitments, a wing in the first XV.
January 19, 1980 - made his first-class debut for Auckland v Canterbury at Eden Park, aged 17 years and 119 days, scored 51 in maiden innings.
June 12, 1981 - first appears in the New Zealand Herald, relating to his century for the MCC Young Cricketers in a one-day match against an MCC XI which included former England captain Colin Cowdrey. Crowe was on a six-month scholarship with the Lord's ground staff.
February 13, 1982 - made one-day international debut v Australia at Auckland, did not bat.
February 26, 1982 - made test debut v Australia at Wellington, run out for nine.
January 23, 1984 - made his maiden test century at the Basin Reserve to save the match against England.
1984-1988 - played for English county Somerset.
1985 - named one of the five annual Wisden cricketers of the year.
1986-87 - scored the most runs in a domestic summer (1676 at 93.11, including eight centuries).
October 10, 1990 - became New Zealand's 20th test captain, against Pakistan in Karachi.
1991 - married Simone Curtice.
February 4, 1991 - completed New Zealand's highest test score of 299, a feat that lasted 23 years. In doing so, participated in a world record partnership of 467 with Andrew Jones for the third wicket. Named sportsman of the year in relation to the feat.
February-March 1992 - captained New Zealand to the semi-finals of the 1992 World Cup at home, wins player of the tournament for his inspirational batting and innovative captaincy.
June 16, 1994 - made his second test century at Lord's; remains the only New Zealander to score more than one in 84 years and 17 visits.
July 5, 1994 - made his 17th and final test century v England at Manchester, still a national record.
July 1995 - published first autobiography Out On A Limb.
November 12, 1995 - completed his 77th and final test v India at Cuttack, caught for 15.
November 26, 1995 - completed his 143rd and final ODI v India at Nagpur, stumped for 63.
1995-2002 - invented, developed, marketed and broadcast Cricket Max, the pre-cursor to Twenty20.
1997 - joined Sky Television and worked as a cricket commentator, eventually rising to executive producer by his 2012 exit. Brought regular weekly broadcasts of First XV rugby to screens for the first time, along with other notable documentary series such as The Chosen Ones and The Mantis And The Cricket.
2001 - inducted into the New Zealand sports hall of fame and awarded an MBE for services to cricket.
April, 2003 - daughter Emma is born.
2006 - became the first New Zealander invited to deliver the annual 'Cowdrey Lecture' at Lords, on 'the spirit of cricket'.
2009 - married Lorraine Downes.
November 5, 2011 - returned to club cricket for Cornwall reserves with the aim of being selected for Auckland and hauling in the 392 runs required to take him to 20,000 at first-class level. Fifteen days later the bid was over as he iced a left thigh muscle at 4am on the Sunday morning.
October 2012 - diagnosed with follicular lymphoma.
December 7, 2012 - tweeted he had burnt his New Zealand blazer after the treatment of Ross Taylor after his demotion as national captain, an action he later said was metaphorical.
June 2013 - announced chemotherapy treatment had restored him to normal health.
June 2013 - published second autobiography Raw.
September 16, 2014 - tweeted his cancer had returned.
February 28, 2015 - inducted into the International Cricket Council Hall of Fame.
