Emotion can wait until after Brendon McCullum's 101st and final Test.
The 34-year-old admits playing in his home town of Christchurch against the opponents he most wants to beat will lend an air of romance to the second Test against Australia at Hagley Oval.
However, he won't get misty-eyed until the final ball is bowled, admitting he might have been too carried away going into last week's heavy opening Test loss in Wellington.
McCullum says he was proud of his achievements as a batsman and, more recently, as a galvanising leader.
But those are things he will reflect on in retirement.
"At the moment, all I'm focusing on is trying to enjoy the last Test with the boys and to make sure that we play in the same manner we have done in the last three years," he said.
"It would be special if we could pull off a win. There are not too many players who have played for New Zealand in the last decade or two who have beaten Australia."
Despite his prowess in one-day internationals and Twenty20s, McCullum is pleased his last game is a Test and will be played in the city he shifted to from Dunedin a decade ago to raise his young family.
The ground is sold out for the first two days and McCullum hopes his team have something special in store for those supporters, rather than be motivated by his exit.
Australian skipper Steve Smith praised McCullum for a spectacular 14-year career and most notably for the recent success he has overseen.
"Any captain wants to change the way their team plays for the better," Smith said.
"I think he's certainly done that for New Zealand and I think he's going to be missed by the New Zealand cricket team."
