Seven months after ending his days as an international cricketer, former Blackcaps wicketkeeper BJ Watling is about to embark to begin the next chapter of his career, moving into the coaching hot seat.
Watling, 36, will take charge of the Northern Districts 'A' side against Auckland 'A' in a three-day match at Hamilton, alongside another former international, ex-Blackcaps batter Dean Brownlie.
While the role may surprise those who remember Watling as an understated cricketer that simply got on with the job, the man himself has worked towards the role since hanging up his gloves last June.
After various roles within Northern Districts Cricket, Watling looks forward to the next step down a path that started before he'd even finished as a player, working towards coaching qualifications in between the Blackcaps' run to become world test champions.
And now with time up his sleeve, Watling is free to throw himself into his coaching career.
"It was something that I was looking at for the last few years," he tells Newshub. "I've done little bits and pieces during my playing career.
"It often got a little bit tough, especially when you're playing the whole summer and the majority of your coaching is during the summer. It was a bit hard to really get stuck in, but over the last six or seven months, it's been great to focus on that side of it."
NZ cricket fans will welcome the move, as he guides the next generation come through.
Watling was a mainstay of arguably the greatest-ever Blackcaps test side, but time out of the spotlight has seen him adapt to a family role, after more than 16 years as a cricketer.
That time at home even allowed Watling to gear up for the Twenty20 Black Clash, scoring a team-high 58 not out for Team Cricket in their defeat to Team Rugby.
"We spent a wee bit of it in lockdown in Hamilton, we had a good 6-7 weeks stuck at home.
"I've been looking after the boys a bit more and giving [wife] Jess a bit of a breather, which has been good fun. They're growing up pretty fast and it's great to be able to see them do that as well.
"I've enjoyed some time at home, had some bits and pieces around the coaching stuff, and managed to get a little hitout in the middle a week or so ago - got a little bit of the competitive juices flowing, which is fun.
"It's been a bit 'bits and pieces' for the last eight months, but I'll start to look into things - especially this year."
Former players often float between jobs after retiring - from commentary to consultancy, even coaching in various Twenty20 leagues around the world - to make a quick buck.
Not Watling, though. The 75-test veteran is working his way up towards first-class level as part of Northern Districts. He doesn't see his new coaching role as a way to fill in time post-retirement and will take as long as he needs to learn the ropes.
"I'm taking it pretty seriously," Watling adds. "I don't want to go too far over the next couple of years, just start learning and get involved as much as I can, and then look to see what happens in a couple of years.
"I haven't thought too far ahead to be honest. I'm just taking the journey as it goes, seeing what strengths I have, what weaknesses and see where they fit.
"At the moment, I've still probably got a bit of 'player' in me, so I've got to learn to approach things fractionally differently, but I'll see where it goes.
"One day, it would be great to potentially be involved in some higher level games and things like that, but at the moment, for me, it's about learning and seeing where the path goes."
As a test batter, Watling was often immovable, stubborn and single-minded, qualities that saw him play the role of Blackcaps saviour on more than one occasion.
But stubbornness and immovability aren't necessarily qualities that translate to coaching, so don't expect BJ Watling the coach to emulate BJ Watling the batter.
"Cricket depends on situations," he says. "For me, it's about building relationships with players and just trying to get the best out of them.
"As a player, I learnt that you drive your own career. All the help you get, all the support from other people is great, and I'll certainly look to listen to as much as possible and try to put into place what they might have said.
"But ultimately, it's your career and you've got to put in the work to get as far as you can. I'll certainly try to help, but don't think I'll be too pushy."
He won't have to look far for help, should he need it.
As a player, Watling served under some of New Zealand's greatest coaches, like John Wright, Mike Hesson and Gary Stead, and alongside Brendon McCullum and Daniel Vettori, who've since moved into coaching.
Watling has taken all those lessons on board, as he begins his time as a coach.
"I guess you just ask questions. How they go about things, learn from what you've learned from your career and how coaches went about their work while you were playing.
"For me, it's still about being true to myself and being who I am, trying to come across in that way. I don't want to change too much, but I also need to learn the ins and outs of coaching, and the bits and pieces that come with it, because it is certainly different to playing.
"It has been good so far, but still lots to learn to be honest."
