The Black Caps have sent the old cliche of "just an innings away" out to bat for Martin Guptill.

The out-of-form opener has managed just 155 runs in his last 11 Twenty20 international innings, including a duck in the opening match against Australia in Hamilton earlier this week.

He also scored just 46 runs in four games for Auckland in this summer's Super Smash.

But batting coach Luke Ronchi told Elliott Smith being out of form is just part of the game.

"Every cricketer goes through dips. In my role, I don't mind us doing well and not doing so well, I'm just going to try and get around whoever it is as much as possible to make them feel even better about themselves."

He insists it isn't down to a lack of effort.

"We've been doing a lot of work with Guptill, and he's been putting in some really hard work.

"We know with [Guptill] the power he possesses at the top of the order for us. It's one of those cliche sayings that every team is just one innings away from teams really turning around." 

Game two is tomorrow in Dunedin.