Cricket: Daryl Mitchell living the dream as he joins national T20 squad

Daryl Mitchell has performed well in domestic cricket. Photo / Photosport

It has been an incredible few months for Daryl Mitchell.

Off the field, the Northern Districts all-rounder welcomed his first child, — a daughter — in December. On the field, he impressed for New Zealand A, and after some excellent domestic performances with ND, is now set for an international debut with the Black Caps.

Mitchell is part of the Black Caps' Twenty20 squad for their three-match series against India, starting tomorrow, and considering his hectic time of late, you'd forgive him for being a tad overwhelmed.

"It's something you dream of as a little kid, and to pull [the New Zealand kit] on this morning, I was like a kid at Christmas," said Mitchell.

"I'm excited, it's going to be cool to get out there and take them on.

"I think it's a blessing in disguise that I've played a few years in domestic cricket to work out my own game, and hopefully it will pay off in the next few days."

Mitchell, 27, has developed steadily over 210 domestic games with ND. One of the nation's cleanest strikers of the ball, and possibly the purest hitter down the ground, Mitchell been a handy contributor as a death bowler, something he's open to doing at the international level.

"I'm happy to do a job with the ball, if [captain] Kane [Williamson] needs, but batting's probably my main priority as a batting all-rounder."

His bowling is one of many improvements he's made, but Mitchell believes his off-field life has been just as beneficial to his rise to the international level.

"A little daughter helps put life in perspective a little bit, when you have a bad day at the office, you come home and you see her smiling, it puts everything in line."

Mitchell is the son of former All Blacks coach John Mitchell, and credits his upbringing as part of what has helped him become a top-level athlete.

"He'd go to work, like every other dad does, it just happened to be that he went to rugby training, instead of an office.

"It was cool growing up, I got to go watch the All Blacks and Chiefs train, and be around professional sport, which has probably helped me create who I am, and how I go about things today."

The first of three Twenty20s takes place at Westpac Stadium tomorrow night, and Mitchell isn't going to change the approach which has been so successful domestically.

"I'm looking forward to taking a few risks, and hopefully it comes off."