McCullum's team does not possess a Chris Cairns, like Stephen Fleming's turn-of-the-Millennium side did, but in Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham he has quality allrounders with boundless potential.
Jeremy Coney and Fleming might have been more cerebral, considered leaders, but McCullum is a better follow-me captain and an under-rated tactician.
The impossible argument will continue, but for me, if this side wins in England then, at that moment in time, they will have surpassed the others. If they fall, then they're going to have to do something special in the home-and-away series against Australia next summer to challenge that mantle.
Wynne Gray: NO - Let's get one thing straight from the start.
None of the shiny talent in the NZ test side has reached the glittering skill and style Richard Hadlee and Martin Crowe showed in the late 80's.
Add in the resolute mental edge John F Reid brought to the No 3 role with his batting average in the high 40's and the brilliance of wicketkeeper Ian Smith whose ability to stand up to medium pacers and keep to spin gave the side another world-class operator.
Lefthanders John Wright, in particular, and Bruce Edgar gave the side enough partnerships to work with at the top of the order while the current openers are an unproven quality.
Maybe it's an age thing, perhaps it's the chance to have a bit of perspective and to stand back and consider how they performed without the some of the immediate hysteria which seems to invade modern watchers.
Hadlee brought the rhythmical Rolls Royce action to the bowling crease and iced his victims with the deathly precision of a pathologist. Chatfield was his great foil, captain Jeremy Coney was an expert slip field who chipped in regularly in the middle order.
The current New Zealand side is recapturing the nation's interest in cricket with several fine players on the rise but until they do the business in the test arena, they'll not replace my verdict on the men from 30 years ago.
