Mitchell Santner is six papers away from a degree in mechanical engineering at Waikato University.

He's got chemical reactivity and linear algebra covered, not to mention calculus and physics.

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ANDREW CORNAGA/PHOTOSPORT Mitchell Santner shares more than a few similarities with Daniel Vettori.

It got a bit less cerebral during his day job in the centre of the Adelaide Oval last Friday, when Mitchell Starc unleashed a spray at the mild-mannered Hamiltonian after dismissing him on test cricket debut. Amateur lip readers put their skills to good use and Santner, who was bowled for 31, wasn't quite sure what to make of it all.

"I actually didn't really hear him, eh. I was looking down and looking away from him and I think he said 'don't drive me' and there might have been a couple of other words in there," Santner said, with a hint of a smile.

"You get that in sport, don't you? I don't think I played a drive in the second innings, did I?"

It was welcome to test cricket, Australian style, and 23-year-old Santner emerged with immense credit.

The left-arm spinner received glowing endorsements from captain Brendon McCullum and coach Mike Hesson and ensured his spot at No 6 for two tests against Sri Lanka this month, and a likely rematch with the Aussies in February.

Having been told he was playing in Adelaide on test eve, then received his first test cap from former skipper Geoff Howarth, Santner looked calm but was churning up inside as he strode out in front of 47,000 people in the inaugural day-night test.

"[Nathan] Lyon said straight away 'are you nervous?' and I was like 'ah, yeah', and that kind of stopped the convo. I was obviously nervous inside and I tried not to show it. Once that first ball went for four it was a bit easier."

Talk to Santner for a while and the image of another Hamilton-raised left-arm spinner is hard to shake. Not only are there similarities in playing styles. There's the glasses he wears off the field, the deadpan expressions with sharp wit, and a fair chance he's the smartest bloke in the team.

The name Daniel Vettori's been mentioned alongside Santner's often since he came into the Northern Districts team and it doesn't bother him one bit. Vettori inspired him to switch from medium pacer to left-arm spinner when at Hamilton Boys' High School.

"Daniel Vettori was a massive part, watching him growing up. He was my idol, I wanted to be like him so he did have a significant impact growing up and the way I bowl now. I was lucky enough to play a couple of games with him in my first season for the Knights and that taught me a lot just being around him and the way he goes about things progressed my game," Santner said.

"It's always going to be a compliment being compared to a guy like him. He's a world-class bowler and I'd like to be like him. Maybe batting I stay in line a bit more than him, I think. Nah, if I can have half as good a career as Vettori then I'll be happy."

They still catch up and Vettori dispenses sage advice. He sent Santner a good luck message on the eve of his Adelaide debut. Other big career influences were former test batsman Chris Kuggeleijn at HBHS. He's still addressed as Mr Kuggeleijn. Former ND left-armer Cliff Dickesen also gets an honourable mention as Santner's spin bowling coach emerging through the ranks.

Santner made a cool-headed debut in five ODIs in England in June, when he showed he could clout a ball and bowl tight overs of spin with clever variations. McCullum was even more impressed after watching him play test cricket, when Santner scored 31 and 45 and snared Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Marsh as his first two wickets.

"I thought he was outstanding. You always hope when a guy makes his debut he'll be quite unflappable. He is the most laidback bloke I've ever seen make his debut," McCullum said.

His career record suggests Santner is a batsman who bowls, and that's how he sees himself.

With Jimmy Neesham and Corey Anderson still some time away from returning to the test frame due to back stress fractures, the No 6 spot in the test team looks Santner's to lose, and ensures New Zealand cricket fans will see a lot of him this summer in white and black clothing.

"It depends if I'm getting runs or wickets, what I call myself. I'd like to be a genuine allrounder, to contribute with both bat and ball would be good. It depends how you're going but in the long run I'd like to be that genuine No 5 or 6 batter and also bowl.

"The way they play test cricket now is more aggressive so those white ball factors come into play a bit more. It's still about being patient with the red ball. You don't have the guys back but if you bowl dots you're going to build pressure and they're going to try and come hard at you."

His six papers for the degree will have to wait. Santner still wants to devote time to it and chip away to have the words 'mechanical engineering' beside his name, in a frame.

"That'll be quite cool to get that done, tick that off and then really focus on cricket. Cricket's going to pay the bills in the meantime so that's the way forward." It may be put on hold for a bit longer than Santner hopes.

AT A GLANCE

Name: Mitchell Josef Santner

Born: February 5, 1992 in Hamilton

Age: 23

Playing style: Left-handed batsman, slow left-arm orthodox bowler

First-class debut: Northern Districts v Otago in Dunedin, Nov 2011. FC career: 23 matches, 1061 runs at 30.31, HS 118, 2x100; 27 wickets at 55.85, BB 3-51

ODI debut: NZ v England in Birmingham, June 2015. ODI career: 5 matches, 97 runs at 24.24, HS 44, SR 129; 7 wickets at 32.85, BB 3-31, ER 7.66

Test debut: NZ v Australia in Adelaide, Nov 2015. Test career: 1 match, 76 runs at 38, HS 45; 2 wickets at 31, BB 1-8