New Zealand's Dashing Opener Martin Guptill Turns 34, A Look Into 'Two-Toed' Cricketer's Career Highlights

The dashing right handed opener has been a key member of the New Zealand's ODI and T20 set up for over a decade and has played an pivotal role in making the 'Black Caps' a formidable team and force to reckon with in the shorter formats of the sport.

Martin Guptill (Image: AFP/Getty)

New Zealand cricket team's swashbuckling opener Martin Guptill turned a year older to celebrate his 34th birthday on Wednesday. Fans, well wishers and the cricketing fraternity at large poured in their wishes and greetings on the Kiwi opener's birthday from all around the world. Known for his eye catching strokeplay and lofty hitting, Martin Guptill is widely regarded by experts and fans across the cricketing circles as one of the most dangerous openers in white ball cricket. The dashing right handed opener has been a key member of the New Zealand's ODI and T20 set up for over a decade and has played an pivotal role in making the 'Black Caps' a formidable team and force to reckon with in the shorter formats of the sport. Guptill has opened the innings for the Kiwis with a great degree of success partnering some of the finest openers in Brendon McCullum, Colin Munro, Tom Latham and Jesse Ryder; notable among many.

???? 183 ODIs, 88 T20Is ???? 9379 runs, 18 ????s ???? Highest ODI score by a New Zealand player – 237* ???? Third leading run-scorer in men's T20Is – 2536

Happy birthday to a white-ball phenomenon, @Martyguptill ???? pic.twitter.com/hZb8Jfmr50 — ICC (@ICC) September 30, 2020

In over a decade long career, Guptill has showcased his abilities with the willow in providing some fiery starts up the order, while also playing the sheet anchor's role to rack up match-winning daddy tons. Besides his belligerent strokeplay, Guptill has also been one of the best all-round fielders of his era at the international level. He is extremely athletic for his tall built and has pulled off some stunning catches in both the close in-field and while patrolling the boundaries. Guptill etching his name as one of New Zealand's greatest white ball batsman is remarkable and nothing short of an inspirational story where adversity was turned into success on the back of strong will power and intent to succeed in life. At the age of 13, Guptill met with an accident due to which he, unfortunately, lost his three toes. He went on to gain the nickname Two-Toed. The highlights of Guptill's glittering  ODI career with New Zealand have been being part of a highly successful New Zealand's squad that made it to back to back ICC Cricket World Cup finals in 2015 and 2019. On his 34th Birthday, here are some key facts about Martin Guptill's stellar international career Guptill's first notable appearance  at the international stage was being part of the New Zealand Under 19 team in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka. Guptill shot into instant limelight on the ODI stage as he smashed a century on his debut against West Indies on 10 January 2009. His 122-run knock also happened to be the highest individual score on ODI debut by a New Zealand cricketer. Guptill notched up a staggering 547 runs in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand to emerge as the tournament's leading run scorer Guptill holds the record for the highest individual score by a New Zealand batsman in ODIs with a mammoth 237-run knock against West Indies in 2015 World Cup quarterfinals. Guptill is the second highest century maker for New Zealand in ODI cricket with 16 tons in his kitty. Making his international debut in 2009, Martin Guptill has established himself as one of the most accomplished openers in white ball cricket for New Zealand. He has scored 2592, 6843, 2536 in 43 Tests, 183 ODIs 86 T20Is respectively.