Andrew Johnsen: Mitchell Santner is cricket's Sam Cane

Mitchell Santner belted a quickfire 45 to see the Black Caps home against New Zealand. He is criminally underrated much in the same vein as All Black flanker Sam Cane. Photo / Photosport.nz

Mitchell Santner and Sam Cane are peas in a pod.

They're both highly talented players replacing the best we've ever had in a position held for numerous seasons.

Daniel Vettori was the best spinner New Zealand has ever produced while Richie McCaw was the greatest to ever set foot on a rugby field. Not exactly small boots to fill for Santner and Cane.

They also are the most scrutinised players in their respective international sides by a ruthless public.

Because of who they've followed, they are unfairly expected to play at the same level.

Santner saw the Black Caps home in a brilliant showcase of his skill with the willow, belting four sixes in his 27-ball 45 to get his side home after looking unlikely with just five overs to go.

Couple that with his solid spell of 2-54 with his left arm off-spinners and he's provided a top notch all-round display.

Cane, meanwhile, continues to get through a mountain of defensive work.

Not only does he top the tackle charts almost without fail each week, the majority are dominant tackles and give his side the opportunity to force a turnover.

His sprint to the tryline against the Crusaders was a well-deserved try.

Both players are exceptional talents but their abilities on the field will always be undercut by the guys who preceded them.

Santner isn't every Black Caps fan's cup of tea. His fielding is frustrating at times and he doesn't take bags of wickets in test cricket.

But he is world class in building pressure with the ball and, as his Seddon Park exploits show, he has a future as an international batsman.

He's shown he can build an innings and now the ability to close out a game with some lusty blows.

Cane, meanwhile, is the best openside flanker going. His impact on the game can be under appreciated because he doesn't do the glory plays a la Akira Ioane and Ardie Savea.

However, he is an expert at the graft. He can pilfer the ball at breakdowns and change the game on defence - an underrated quality.

No, he isn't McCaw but he doesn't need to be. Same goes with Santner and Vettori.

Sports fans barely allow the dust to settle after a retirement and are always searching for the next big thing.

No young Australian leg-spinner can escape the moniker "the next Shane Warne". Dan Carter still plays but every up-and-coming first five is needlessly compared.

And when you're being compared to once in a generation talents like Carter, McCaw, Warne and Vettori, you aren't going to come out good.

Santner and Cane will continue to churn out good performances and will be criticised in equal measure. There is no changing that.

The problem, however, is people won't appreciate the class in front of them while looking at a comparison checklist on a clipboard.