Martin Guptill Should Partner Tom Latham as New Zealand Test Opener

Martin Guptill has been recalled to the New Zealand Test squad after a string of good performances for the nation's one-day team during the Cricket World Cup.

An opening batsman of moderate tempo and a world-class fielder, Guptill has every chance to find his way back into the playing XI after a two-year absence. New Zealand's lack of quality at the very top of the order has been evident for a long time, with no one making the spot their own since Mark Richardson's departure a decade ago.

Guptill's run of form in the World Cup, which included a mammoth 237 not out against the West Indies, should make him a logical choice. He plundered runs all around the ground, making use of his classical straight game while also working the ball square as well as he ever has.

That he has had little success at Test level in the past should be of little consequence. Indeed, even in the limited-overs format he has struggled to perform over the past few summers. That he found form at such a crucial time suggests there is no reason he cannot do it in the Test arena as well.

In saying that, there is no escaping his underwhelming Test record, which eventually saw him dropped. Averaging a shade under 30 with his only two centuries coming against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, it is not a record that bolsters confidence.

All too often he would give his wicket away and his inability to move his feet against spin was often shown up, leaving him reaching out with his bat in all sorts of ugly positions. To be fair, that has been symptomatic of New Zealand cricket for a long time and Guptill is by no means alone.

Perhaps it is why their openers have struggled so much. In recent years there have been a few prospects, but none who ever kicked on.

Most recently, Peter Fulton was persisted with for a while, although this was more or less solely based on one match where he made back-to-back centuries against England at Eden Park. He was another who tended to get caught on the crease reaching and struggled with pace or a moving ball. Last year it was decided they should move on.

Hamish Rutherford, Fulton's opening partner for the majority of his latest tenure, is another who has been persisted with, although unlike Fulton, he remains in the team. The hard-hitting left-hander who likes to free his arms off the back foot made an instant impact on the Test scene, scoring 171 against the English on his home ground in Dunedin.

Since then he has done virtually nothing. Never again has he reached triple-figures and only once has he surpassed 50, while only reaching 30 three times outside of New Zealand.

He seems to have been living on borrowed time for a while, primarily due to New Zealand's lack of a decent replacement.

Guptill seems as though he may be just that. At least he has been hitting the ball well and has confidence at the international level.

The relative newcomer to the team, Tom Latham, looks to have the other opening spot locked up. A brilliant mover of the feet, and probably New Zealand's most stylish opener since the experiment with Stephen Fleming, Latham has an impressive record, averaging 40.23 in his nine matches. 

Latham's ability to move his feet to play spin effectively allows him to push on past the initial opening period and make some meaningful contributions. His two centuries and three half-centuries have all come away from home, with the centuries coming against Pakistan on turning wickets.

The ability to play spin will not matter so much in England. So that has to be a plus for Guptill in the bid to partner Latham. His experience with Derbyshire has given him exposure to English conditions, which tend to consist of green pitches, lush outfields and overcast conditions which allow the ball to swing.

It is worth noting that these conditions will make Guptill of extreme value in the field too. Conditions that favour swing should see the New Zealand bowlers find plenty of edges, making Guptill's quick reactions and excellent hands in the gully important in turning these edges into wickets.

He may yet end up in the covers, though, where he is just as effective given Kane Williamson has been so successful fielding at gully in recent times.

In the outfield Guptill is as good as most, too, possessing outstanding pace to restrict the batsmen and boasting a good arm.

There may be a reluctance to deviate from what is tried and true. But you feel if Guptill is ever to get another chance at the game's purest form at its highest level, then this is it.

New Zealand play matches against Somerset and Worcestershire at the beginning of May, before the first Test against England on May 21.

All statistics courtesy of ESPN Cricinfo.