New Zealand cricket great Martin Crowe wants captain Brendon McCullum to blow his record score of 299 off the top of the ledger and register the country’s first Test triple century.

McCullum, who will resume on 281, is primed to move past Crowe’s highest Test score on the final day of the second Test match against India in Wellington.

New Zealand are 6-571 and debutant Jimmy Neesham is also at the crease on 67.

Crowe fell agonisingly one run short of a rare triple century against Sri Lanka in 1991.

No New Zealander has ever scored 300 in a Test match, the only major Test playing nation not to register one.

Crowe admitted he blew his chance at a triple century because he started thinking he had already achieved it.

However, he hoped 32-year-old McCullum could pull it off, he told TVNZ’s Breakfast programme.

His advice to McCullum was: “He’s got to stick to his routine.

“What’s extraordinary about this is that he’s backing off 224 a week ago. The schedules they have these days are far greater than what we had, and he’s got ailments, he’s got back and knee problems.

“So it’s incredible what he’s done in this fortnight. It’s the greatest fortnight of Test batting that any New Zealander has ever achieved, no matter what happens today.”

If New Zealand got up to win it would be great day in the country’s sporting history, Crowe said.

However, he doubted it would forever silence McCullum’s critics.

McCullum’s efforts so far have hauled New Zealand back into the Test after they conceded a first innings lead of 246. They now lead India by 325 runs.

New Zealand can win the series with just a draw after winning the first Test in Auckland.