National selection manager Kim Littlejohn and Black Caps coach John Wright have broken with a long-standing tradition and picked on form.
In the past, a Black Caps squad has not been complete without a baffling new opening combination, an overstayer or two, a journeyman masquerading as international cricketer and, of course, a greenhorn with perhaps as many as one or two first-class games under his belt.
Not this time, although that is not to say the selectors have not taken a risk or two, because they have. But the pair have put their faith in the country's domestic competitions and named players who have succeeded in those tournaments.
So while there are six new faces in the one-day and twenty/20 squads, those players have earned their place.
And who would deny the pair, particularly Wright, a gamble or two, anyway?
So far this summer Wright has shown superb intuition.
Doug Bracewell's selection could initially be described only as a hunch. The Central Districts bowler had taken 42 wickets at an average of 42.45 before this summer, and now he is one of the first bowlers chosen for the national side with two five-wicket bags in four tests.
Canterbury's Dean Brownlie had built an impressive record but was still relatively green at first-class level when he got the call, and it took real guts to start part-time keeper BJ Watling in the one-off test against Zimbabwe. Both those punts paid dividends.
Wright is on a roll and has made another calculated gamble or two before the three one-dayers and two twenty/20 games against Zimbabwe.
Auckland dominated the HRV Cup and has been the form team in the Ford Trophy. Its reward has been to have three of its players snatched away.
Left-arm seamer Michael Bates has been named in the one-day and twenty/20 squads, with power hitter Colin de Grandhomme and left-arm spinner Roneel Hira getting an opportunity with the twenty/20 squad.
De Grandhomme is one of the most devastating hitters in the competition. He can swat boundaries at will and is one of those rare players who does not need an over or so to get his eye in. He can also bowl a bit if required.
Hira is the joint leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets and one of the most frugal, conceding just 5.85 runs an over.
Bates was more expensive but joined Hira at the top of the list with 14 wickets and also been impressive in the one-day competition.
Canterbury's Tom Latham, son of former international Rod Latham, has been named in the one-day squad after some brilliant batting in the Ford Trophy. After six rounds the wicketkeeper-batsman was the leading run-scorer with 310 runs at an average of 62, including a marvellous 130 off 119 balls against Wellington at the Basin Reserve last week.
With Brendon McCullum captaining the national side in the absence of Ross Taylor (calf injury), and batting in the top three, it would not be a surprise if Latham took the gloves to help ease the burden.
He will probably play, whether he takes the gloves or not.
Canterbury's Andrew Ellis and Central Districts' Tarun Nethula are the other new faces in the one-day squad and will probably get a run in one of the three games.
Ellis has a useful, rather than impressive, career record and on balance would struggle to make the one-day side. But the medium pacer has bowled tightly this summer and is capable of chipping in a quick 30.
Nethula's inclusion is perhaps more to do with finding a replacement for Daniel Vettori when he finally retires from test cricket. The leg-spinner has played only 12 one-day games and is still establishing himself.
New Zealand XIs
One-day XI (possible): Rob Nicol, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Dean Brownlie, Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Nathan McCullum, Doug Bracewell, Jacob Oram, Tim Southee, Michael Bates.
Twenty/20 XI (possible): Rob Nicol, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Dean Brownlie, Kane Williamson, James Franklin, Nathan McCullum, Doug Bracewell, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Roneel Hira.
