Black Caps bowling coach Shane Jurgensen believes New Zealand's pace attack is the best in the world, and he says that is not a new revelation.
Speaking from managed isolation in Auckland, Jurgensen said the Black Caps' brilliant bowling performance in the World Test Championship final was not a fluke, but rather the continuation of years of progress.
The Black Caps were ruthless in Southampton last week, dismantling India for 217 and 170, with the wickets spread between Kyle Jamieson (7), Tim Southee (5), Trent Boult (5) and Neil Wagner (3).
"This hasn't been a fluke, this has been happening for a while," Jurgensen said this afternoon.
"I think we can strongly say that [they are the best] now. The belief in the bowling group, the way they plan, how fit they are, how strong they are and how much they believe in each other, the trust is amazing."
He believed the mix of bowlers was key to their success, with Jamieson's height, Southee and Boult's swing from both sides of the wicket, and Wagner's sheer will and aggression combining for the perfect formula.
And the statistics back him up.
In the past four years to the day, the pace attack of Jamieson, Southee, Boult and Wagner is unmatched, their combined bowling average of 22.35 the best of any fast bowling combination in the world.
Together they have taken 357 wickets, with the latter trio all featuring near the top of the wicket taking list over that period.
Their record narrowly edges that of India's Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav, who have an eerily similar 350 wickets at 22.65.
Australia's trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood follow with 350 wickets at 24.17, while England's Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes have taken the most wickets - 453 - but at an average of 25.19.
"It's got to be the best for me and they've proven it," Jurgensen said.
The Kiwi bowling stocks look strong for years to come too, with the likes of Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy and Lockie Ferguson all waiting in the wings.
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