James Franklin‘s re-emergence as a genuine international batsman was one of the few bright spots in the New Zealand cricket team‘s increasingly obsessed the tour of India.

But Franklin was actually flown to India as a replacement for injured fast bowler Hamish Bennett. The big left-armer should have been in the team all along, but not as a pace bowler. He hardly bowled in India, but his batting, when he was belatedly given an opportunity in the final three one-dayers, was outstanding.

Franklin, with a strong technique, is a world class batsman and it has taken the New Zealand selectors a ridiculous amount of time to acknowledge it.

They have tended to pick Franklin as a left-arm pace bowler who can bat a bit which is definitely a wrong thinking. He is not hostile enough to be a genuine quick, and doesn’t move the ball enough to be a menace as a swing bowler.

Franklin scored 72, 98 and 17 in India, not out each time. The Indians were amazed at the power of his hitting, but he has long been the biggest hitter in the Newzealand team.

However, he has never really been utilized properly. He looks rather boyish and at times plays that way. But no one can deny that he is capable of extraordinary deeds. In fact he has scored two first-class double-centuries and a test century. That century was not against South Africa in Cape Town, In fact it was made against a quality attack.He also has a test hat-trick, and took another hat-trick for English county Gloucestershire a few months ago.

Choosing Franklin to bat for them, and then sticking with him, would be a good start. But do the black caps realize it?