The Blackcaps are confident they have what it takes to reach their second World Test Championship final, despite a disastrous start to the defence of their 2021 title.
At the halfway stage of the new World Test Championship cycle, the Blackcaps currently sit sixth in the nine-nation competition, with just two wins from their opening six matches.
Along with their two wins, the Blackcaps have also drawn one - away to India at Kanpur - but been defeated three times, against India at Mumbai, Bangladesh at Mt Maunganui, and South Africa at Christchurch.
The results have seen the Blackcaps take just 28 of 72 available points. And with finals places decided by percentage of points won, the Blackcaps' 38.88 percent accrued sees them well adrift of the current top two teams - Sri Lanka and Australia.
But speaking after New Zealand's 198-run defeat to South Africa on Tuesday, acting captain Tom Latham outlines that the Blackcaps still believe they can go on to seal a spot in a second successive final, having beaten India by eight wickets at Southampton last June to win the inaugural title.
"One hundred percent we do," Latham says. "We obviously set out with the ambition of winning every test match you play, especially at home.
"For us, when we head to England in a few months' time, it's obviously important we shift our focus to that, try our best to win that series over there and get as many points as we can.
"I think whatever test match it is, whether it be the first one of the new cycle or the last one, you always head out with the ambition of winning the test match.
"For us, we'll solely be focussed on the next test match and getting as many points as we can."
And things won't get easier for the Blackcaps either.
Losses to Bangladesh and South Africa see the side yet to record a series win at the halfway stage, an almost unthought of proposition considering two of their three series played have been at home.
New Zealand were the only side not to lose a home test in the inaugural World Test Championship, but have already been beaten twice on Kiwi soil, with a series against Sri Lanka still to come.
And while there is disappointment in New Zealand's current position, Latham believes that the coming three series can see the Blackcaps bounce back.
That will start against England in June, playing three tests against their hosts.
"I think as a whole, from a summer coming, having four test matches here in New Zealand, you obviously set out with the goal of winning them all.
"Unfortunately, we weren't able to do that. We were able to play some really good cricket in between, and obviously there was a couple of games where we didn't quite play our best.
"Unfortunately that's the way it is. Obviously we've got three test matches in England as the next time we'll be together as a test group, and obviously the goal will be to win three test matches over there.
"It's important that when we do go there, we shift our focus and adapt to the conditions over there as best we can. From an England point of view, we played a couple of test matches over there last year, so hopefully conditions are familiar and we'll understand the conditions we get over there."
The Blackcaps will also face Pakistan away in November, before ending their World Test Championship cycle against Sri Lanka at home.
