You could be forgiven for assuming Vettori felt able to stir himself more for those intense transtasman battles than against other opponents. Not necessarily so.
"I don't think I've ever thought of differentiating between teams," he said.
"I've always gone out with the understanding of what I've tried to achieve, and what my role is. Some days you do it well; some you don't. But every time you go up against Australia I've known it was going to be an incredibly hard day.
"Whether that's a way to elevate your performance I'm not sure, but I've always tried to approach it the same no matter who we play."
Throw in four T20 clashes and Vettori will today play his 81st international match against Australia.
He's had good times and others less memorable. He's duelled with great batsmen from Mark Taylor, Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer up top, through Ricky Ponting, twins Steve and Mark Waugh, Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist.
Watch: 'I've never been sledged by an Aussie - Vettori
Down the years, the faces have changed but not much else.
"They've been an exceptional team in all my time playing international cricket, right from when I started through that period in the 2000s and now when they're the No 1 ranked team. They've played impressive cricket and been the benchmark for a lot of teams who have tried to copy what they've done in one-day cricket."
That said, Vettori doesn't see much between the way the teams go about their business ahead of today's blockbuster at Eden Park.
"The teams are made up in similar fashion. They have aggressive guys at the top of the order, very controlled players through the middle stages and aggression at the end.
"If you look at the top seven you could match a lot of both sides up, and it's similar with the bowling. The way to stop momentum is to take wickets, and that's what both teams try to do."
Much has been made of New Zealand's strategy that low key is the best way to go about things. Players like Vettori, Grant Elliott - the eyebrow-raiser when the cup squad was named but a sensible senior head - and captain Brendon McCullum have led the way in terms of maintaining equilibrium within the squad.
They'll say it starts with manager Mike Sandle and coach Mike Hesson, but the players are big on self-policing when it comes to in-house discipline.
"The players have a clear understanding of their role. That's not always been the case in the past," Vettori said.
"There is an understanding of what is expected of you and that gives you confidence to go out and do it."
So while some of the younger players were clearly excited at the prospect of today's match, Vettori knows there are bigger games in prospect. Today is important, but he has a good sense of perspective. In terms of memorable games, he's able to draw on World Cup semifinals, knowing knockout matches have an extra frisson to them.
He reflected with a sense of appreciation on the events in Wellington against England last week, when Tim Southee tore through England, and McCullum flayed the attack with a ferocity seldom seen anywhere.
"That was one of the experiences I'll treasure in my career. Having a full house chanting 'Southee'.
"To play in that game was really overwhelming, and the first real taste of what a World Cup will mean to the New Zealand public."
Vettori is reluctant to look into the future. There's a bigger picture right now. Not the right time and place. But he's enjoying this ride.
"The game in Wellington was a lot of fun. You don't get the opportunity that often to play in front of about 45,000 who are cheering for you."
Dan Vettori v Aussie
• Tests: 19
• Wickets: 66 at 36.6; 5 inn: 6; 10 match: 1
• ODI: 57
• Wickets: 53 at 41
• Most frequently dismissed in ODIs: Andrew Symonds 8 times, Ricky Ponting 6, Damien Martyn 4, Michael Clarke and Mark Waugh 4.
