The unassuming Southlander has had an incredible year for the Black Caps.
Arguably, he started the year as a fringe pick in all three formats but he has wrapped up 2025 with more combined wickets than anyone in the international game.
He has claimed 81 wickets at an average of 17.11. The right-armer has a strike rate of just 24 this year.
What that means is, on average, he took a wicket every four overs, which is extraordinary.
He eclipsed Richard Hadlee’s record (79) for the most combined wickets in a calendar season for New Zealand, and he picked up player of the series awards in the test and T20 series against the West Indies.
When you wrap more context around his achievement, you have to wonder if he wears his undies on the outside of his pants.
The Black Caps had rotten luck with their stock of seamers.
Matt Henry, Nathan Smith and Blair Tickner were injured during the test series, while others such as Kyle Jamieson, Will O’Rourke and Ben Sears were ruled out.
Henry and Smith actually pulled up lame during the first test and Duffy had to pick up the extra load.
He bowled 43 overs in the fourth innings — the most for a New Zealand seamer in 26 years.
Duffy was struggling to put it all into context when asked about the last few weeks.
"What’s it meant to me?" he pondered.
"I’m just enjoying my cricket. I don’t know, I don’t look at things too holistically, I guess.
"It’s been an awesome ride. It’s been testing with all the bowlers going down, and obviously, the workload is pretty high.
"But I guess the fact that Tommy [Tom Latham] keeps asking me to bowl the ball, I’d like to view that as a bit of a privilege.
"Your skipper trusts you to keep bowling and doing the good stuff, so that’s what I’m trying to do."
Duffy keeps it pretty simple. He runs in hard and gives it his best.
He did exactly that for years for Otago and waited patiently for an opportunity to shine at the international level.
While the wait was frustrating, he received a solid grounding in the domestic game and that has served him extremely well, particularly during the past 12 months.
Initially, there was some imposter syndrome, though.
"I guess that’s probably the Southland kid in me. I think you grow up down there and even playing for Otago seems ridiculous when you’re growing up.
"To come on to the international stage and ... to feel like you belong, that’s really cool.
"It’s not so much about five-fors and stats and stuff. Sometimes it’s just actually having a meaningful impact on a game and the boys getting around you for that. I guess that’s the feeling."
Now that the world knows Duffy’s game a lot better, his next challenge is "to keep staying ahead".
"That’s why I’m trying to always develop, whether it’s trying to figure out an inswinger or stuff like that to stay ahead of the game and not get figured out too quick, I guess."
