ICC Champions Trophy 2013: Martin Guptill – The unsung hero from Down Under

Players at the highest level usually thrive on a source of inspiration that could act as a perfect catalyst in moments of crisis. Some prefer reliving their best moments on the pitch all over again, while some take a cue from the loathing suffered during their moments of disappointments. Yet for Martin Guptill, it’s the pain and backdrop of unrelenting desperation that brings out his menacing best on the field.

Rewind to February 17, 2013 in Hamilton, with the Kiwis needing 41 0ff 25 against England with 3 wickets in hand and in came Guptill, who could barely stand having been hamstrung in the first innings. It was a rather perturbing sight to watch this towering figure barely able to limp his way through the pitch to collect singles, but a mean streak of intent is what his character is all about. He, unlike any of the onlookers, understood how crucial a win could be for a side that was going through its worst patch in ODIs, having succumbed to 11 defeats in a row. He realized that he could do nothing worse to dampen the spirit of his teammates but his match-winning plunder could force a reaction from what was then labeled as a stumbling New Zealand unit.

Even with the odds stacked against him at the crease and the English quickies targeting his toes at every opportunity, Guptill displayed how effortless hitting can be pursued if one solely relies on his strengths rather than contemplating the unwelcomed perils of buckling down under pressure. Pummeling every attempted yorker straight back past the bowlers became a norm and the home side killed the chase with an over to spare. From pain to tranquility in 30 minutes – and it looked like Dr. Guptill did give his colleagues a shot in the arm that was badly needed.

Now in England, after another horrid Test series against the home side, the Black Caps yearned for consolation in the limited overs showdown. A consolation that could prove as a timely momentum ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign and Guptill was again the man to look up to. Despite having a woeful time at the crease countering the red cherry and failing again to prove his credentials as a Test player, he and New Zealand could always remind themselves how good they could be in ODIs – regardless of the qualities the opponent possessed. And so they did!

Guptill, in the direst of circumstances, did what he knew best. Instead of getting bogged down against the home side, he decided to unleash his game, a game that follows an instinctive path. Clobbering the short balls over mid-wicket and lofting the others down the ground, Guptill made sure that he batted as long as it took to seal the deal for his side, in not one but two games in a row. Yet it was the second game when he decided to unleash his maverick side, as Guptill entertained a rather subdued Southampton crowd, at the time when most of his countrymen were dozing off Down Under.

His rampaging 189 on a surface that would be the closest in comparison to one of the placid batting strips of New Zealand was not a plunder derived from a dream. Even after achieving so much in the blink of an eye, it is rather inexplicable to decipher Guptill’s journey to the peak of his batting prowess. However, judging by the time he’s been on the international scene and having exhibited the potency of his no-nonsense technique time and time again, this special evening was beckoning him for some time now.

He has been the only constant figure in a Kiwi top order that has been rejigged a lot in the past few years. From Marshall to Ingram and most recently Ronchi, Guptill has been trying to hold the batting order that either lacks experience or composure to take the side through. And to be fair, Guptill has done very little to let his country down, even on the darkest days, when the side had just won 4 ODIs in the next 2 years following a quarter-final loss in the 2011 World Cup. He’s kept his place in the side, while boasting a batting average of more than 40 and it gets as high as 54 when his side is chasing the game – clearly Guptill is not one to fold when the stakes are high. In fact, his record in the ODIs can only be compared to the likes of Nathan Astle, which in itself is a heartening comparison for the 26-year-old.

As the Kiwis kick-start another international tournament as the perennial underdogs, it’s the sheer unpredictability of characters like Guptill that can surprise the oppositions. If recent ODI form could have any reflection on this Champions Trophy campaign, then Guptill’s record-shattering performances should affirm his side’s capability to make an upset or two.

There have been only few New Zealanders in the past couple of decades that have reinvented the long lost defiant streak of their beloved Silver Fern – one of them was Chris Cairns, who single-handedly led the side to the ICC Knockout Championship win. If only Guptill would wield his magic willow against all odds in what is the last Champions Trophy ever, New Zealand will finally have a new cricketing hero to worship.