Mark Richardson: Batsman can pass the test

Tim MacIntosh. Photo / Greg Bowker

What a relief the Black Caps selection team are not as kneejerk as the media and public.

Tim MacIntosh's century was one to savour and a reward for consistency of selection.

MacIntosh has not set the world alight in his test career to date and is probably never likely to - but he has shown that he can be hard to remove; can do a job that many want done; and is worth persevering with.

Up until this test he had played 14 tests averaging 27, with one century.

Not ideal, but he now has another century to his name and, looking a little deeper into this latest one, I'm hoping he'll grow the belief to start to replicate his first-class record somewhat.

MacIntosh's first class record is nothing flashy either - 102 matches averaging 35 with 15 centuries; not flashy but solid.

He won't get anywhere near that sort of longevity in the test team but at 30, another four years could see him play 40 tests - and I'd be happy with an average of 30 with, let's say, another four or so centuries.

I have hope for Macintosh because of what he showed in his latest outing. Put yourself in his shoes. He comes in off a pair, he is up against an opening bowler (Zaheer Khan) who well and truly has his number and everyone knows it.

He's not only playing for his test career but his cricketing life because test cricket is just about all he has. He's in India where, for a tourist, poor form is not easy to turn around.

To overcome that takes some courage and mental strength. Not only did he win that internal battle that follows every batsman round but outwardly he showed he can turn around faults very quickly. He was slow but determined - not scratchy and just hanging in.

From ball one, he appeared quite assured in his own way and seemed to have ironed out the balance issues that Zaheer had been exploiting.

MacIntosh has some technical deficiencies that he will always have to keep tabs on but he is a player who knows that you can still operate with deficiencies if you develop a game that allows for them.

That skill is as important as actually correcting your deficiencies. He's what I would call a cricket realist.

He will never look pretty doing his job and so, when he does get out cheaply, they will be ugly failures. People will always question his skill level but he is a player that must, like Andrew Jones, be judged on the bottom line alone - runs.

He's not there yet, but hopefully he's got the little kick-start he needed.

There is always going to be a place for a player like MacIntosh because of the free-scoring players around him. If he can just improve his starting ability he will do a fine job over the next few years.