But this afternoon the Otago left-armer will be hoping to bend the white ball when the Volts play Central Districts in their opening twenty20 match in New Plymouth.
The South African-born 29-year-old has played 16 tests for the Black Caps and has built a reputation for running in hard and giving it everything.
It is not unusual for Wagner to lose his footing through the effort and wind up sprawled across the pitch.
But while he gets a 10 out of 10 for effort, his inability to shape the ball as much when the shine has been taken off has seen Doug Bracewell leapfrog him in the pecking order. And Canterbury's Matt Henry has more pace and has also moved ahead of Wagner.
The way back into the test team is clear, though. He needs to wobble the ball more.
''Hess [Black Caps coach Mike Hesson] has said I've got to try to swing the ball more consistently and obviously just continue to take wickets like I've been doing,'' Wagner said.
''But it is also horses for courses with the right-arm seamers taking the ball away from the bat... for me it is about fine-tuning and working on on a few bits ... and just swinging the ball again.''
Wagner can certainly bend the ball. He became the first player in the history of first-class cricket to take five wickets in an over when he routed the Wellington batting line-up during a match in Queenstown in 2011.
''My role with the Blacks Caps at times has been about toiling into the wind or bowling from an end which does not suit you, and sometimes you lose your action a little bit.
''You start forcing the ball a little bit so you can still bowl heavy and hard into the wind and with that you can get into bad habits. So I've been working on getting my action strong again.''
Wagner will have to be strong because heavy-hitting batsmen such as Jesse Ryder can easily throw you off your stride.
Ryder spent the past two summers with Otago but has returned to Central Districts this season and the left-hander is one of the most dangerous batsmen in the competition.
George Worker has been in good touch and another player Otago will be hoping to see the back of quickly.
Otago finished at the bottom of the standings last season with Central Districts one spot higher in fifth, so both teams will be looking to make big improvements.
Wagner, fellow strike bowler Jacob Duffy and the captain, Nathan McCullum, shape as the key players in the Volts bowling line-up, but Warren Barnes looks an interesting prospect.
The transplanted Aucklander has had his share of injury problems but has genuine pace and runs in hard.
That said, Otago's strength is in its batting. The experienced Neil Broom appears set to open the batting alongside another Aucklander in Anaru Kitchen.
It is unclear where former Northern Districts batsmen Brad Wilson will fit in but he has too much experience to leave out of the line-up.
McCullum will add some punch in the middle order, while wicketkeeper-batsman Derek de Boorder is likely to be used in a floating role. He has emerged in recent years as the man to steady the ship when early wickets are lost.
Michael Bracewell has not really asserted himself in the format as yet. But with his power it is only a matter of time before he plays a stunning innings or two.
