The controversy swirling around Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum and the Black Caps’ captaincy will be put aside as New Zealand tackle the opening match of their South African cricket tour in Pietermaritzburg.

Assistant coach Bob Carter says the focus is solely on starting the challenging tour on a winning note as the Black Caps warm up with a Twenty20 match against a South African selection early on Wednesday (AEDT).

“The key is to get ourselves on the park, used to these conditions of playing in South Africa and start the tour off with a good win,” Carter said.

An important part of that will be integrating a five-strong group of rookies into the team.

Carter said the uncapped group, comprising Corey Anderson, Derek de Boorder, Mitchell McClenaghan, Colin Munro and Jimmy Neesham had brought added vigour to the team.

“They’ve really thrown themselves at training, they’ve brought really good energy to our practices and they’re giving themselves every chance of playing in the team.”

Carter said changes to South Africa’s Twenty20 line-up, including a new captain in Faf du Plessis and a new wicketkeeper in 20-year-old Quinton de Kock, did not mean any lessening in strength.

“They’ve brought in a few players to have a look at, but they’ve still got a very fine side with Stein and Morkel and others, so that will be a great test for us and a really good challenge.

“Every South African side is a strong one, but I think we can go into the T20 series with a great deal of optimism.”

Taylor opted not to go on the tour after being unceremoniously dumped as New Zealand skipper and replaced by McCullum.

The Black Caps play the first of three T20 internationals in Durban on Friday, with the first of two Tests beginning on January 2 in Cape Town. Three limited-overs matches, starting in Paarl on January 19, will end the tour.