In domestic cricket, Guptill plays for Auckland, and for Suburbs New Lynn in club cricket. He made his first-class cricket debut in March 2006, scoring a four-ball duck in his first innings, and 99 in his second. In 2011 Guptill played in English county cricket during the second half of the season for Derbyshire County Cricket Club.
Guptill first represented New Zealand in the Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in Sri Lanka in 2006. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut for New Zealand on 10 January 2009 against the West Indies in Auckland, becoming the first New Zealander to score a century on his one-day debut – his score of 122 not out is the highest score on debut for New Zealand in an ODI, and second highest debut score ever in ODIs and he was the first New Zealander to carry the bat through a completed ODI innings. He made his Test cricket debut against India in the first Test at Hamilton in March 2009, scoring 14 and 48. For his performances in 2009, he was named in the World ODI XI by the ICC.