McCullum's legacy of rejuvenation to go on

They fell one result short of reaching the pinnacle of world cricket, but New Zealand’s presence in the World Cup final for the first time has brought their dramatic transformation over the past two years into sharp focus.

And it’s the leadership of one man that has been fundamental to the success and rejuvenation of the Black Caps squad.

"It wasn't so long ago that we weren't in a great space in international cricket," said Brendon McCullum, the man who, together with unsung coach Mike Hesson, has created the blueprint for the most successful period in New Zealand cricket history.

"We went through some pretty tough times and that led us to strip things right back and to be totally honest about where we sat in the international game ... (and) also to develop and understand the style of play we wanted to play.

"I guess at that point in time we stripped it all back and we started to try to plot our way forward."

Critical to that starting-over period was the call by Hesson to appoint McCullum as captain, in place of Ross Taylor.

It was an incredibly bold decision that unsettled various quarters of New Zealand cricket at the time. Taylor was, and is, an outstanding batsman who was scoring runs at the time. 

But Hesson, a quietly spoken, unassuming individual who seeks to avoid the spotlight whenever possible, saw something in McCullum. 

And McCullum, a man viewed up until that point almost exclusively as free-swinging top-order batsman with a sharp eye and not a great deal more, has repaid him in spades.

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McCullum congratulates Michael Clarke // Getty Images

The term 'most improved' can be delivered or viewed in a patronising light, but in McCullum's case, it’s the ultimate compliment for a man whose game has blossomed since late 2012. 

In Test cricket, five of his 11 career hundreds have come since he assumed the leadership. Four of those scores have been above 190, including New Zealand’s first-ever triple century.

"Not bad for a slogger, eh?" he joked when discussing his history-making effort with cricket.com.au last year. 

As a team, the Black Caps won three of their four Test series in 2014 and drew with Pakistan away, a result the Australians could not manage, to highlight just what a challenging tour the UAE trip can be.

Beyond the Test match numbers though, McCullum’s real impact lies in his leadership, and the manner in which he has been able to influence his teammates. 

The 33-year-old has consistently reinforced the same messages: chiefly, that New Zealand want to play fearless cricket, that they want to play with humility, and that they want to enjoy the ride.

"It would’ve been great to have got the silverware, but it wasn’t to be, but I think what we were able to achieve in this tournament will last a long time," he said in a post-final press conference for which, quite tellingly, he received a rare ovation from the media.

"The friendships we created, the experiences we’ve had and the people we’ve been able to inspire throughout the tournament is something that we’re really proud of.

"We came here today, 93,000 people, a lot of Kiwis travelled over, we felt the vibe back home, the support has been outstanding and the guys have been forever grateful for it.

"We’ll move on to the next stage of our cricket careers and our lives, but this is something we’ll never ever forget, and it’s been a really proud time to be a New Zealander, even though we ran second."

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McCullum sprints for a ball in the field // Getty Images

Historically, New Zealand have always been labelled a 'dark horse' every four years, but the 2015 tournament represented a shift in that mindset as the country with a population of just four million proved itself a genuine force in world cricket. 

Their popularity extended well outside their geographical borders as the neutrals lapped up two elements particularly of their new agenda.

The first of those was the fearlessness that McCullum not only speaks of, but personifies with his ultra-aggressive approach from the top of the order. 

In this World Cup, he blasted four half-centuries, reaching the milestone from 35, 18, 21 and 22 balls to not only set the benchmark for his teammates but thrill billions on planet cricket. 

The second is the spirit in which they’ve played the game.

Again, McCullum has led from the front with his humility in victory but more importantly, in defeat.

"Yeah I do think we were starting to get there," he said when asked about the strides New Zealand have taken in terms of playing the game in the manner he and Hesson intend. 

"It took a lot of hard work along the way, and I don’t think we’re the finished product just yet but we’re heading in the right direction.

"We’ve got a team full of guys who are selfless about playing for New Zealand, they know that during the time that they’ve got they want to make an impact. 

"They’re prepared to buy into team plans and try and play an aggressive style of cricket. 

"Over the last 12-18 months it’s been a process of filtering that and trying to really crunch down our plans and (work out) the personnel that we wanted within the group, and I think that we’re starting to get there. 

"It’s hard when you’ve lost the final to think too holistically, but I think we’ve made some significant changes and we’ll certainly richer for the experience in terms of our standing in world cricket.

McCullum couldn't replicate his good form in the final

"We need to keep getting better, we’re not satisfied with where we sit at the moment, but the way we’re going is certainly the way to go about it."

Changes to the Black Caps playing roster appear inevitable over the ensuing days and weeks. 

Daniel Vettori has played his last one-day international, while Grant Elliott is 36 and there was even a question that McCullum himself might draw curtains on his 50-over career. 

The skipper refused to enter into any speculation about retirements, preferring to let Australia soak up their success and "bask in the glory" of a World Cup triumph, but he believes they are building a lasting model for New Zealand cricket. 

"I think the team perhaps will change over the next little while but hopefully the style of cricket and the things that we’ve been able to implement with this team and the brand we’ve been trying to play will remain and develop over the next little while,” he said.

"Hopefully that will then filter down to our domestic cricketers and we’ll see some youngsters start to play the game and play it the same way that we’ve tried to operate through this World Cup."

For McCullum, there could be no more fitting legacy.