On Saturday, the South African-born Black Caps big hitter tore through Australia's middle order, taking 5-45 against the world Test champions.
With each wicket Phillips took at the Basin Reserve, his celebrations grew: from fist pumps, to wheeling away from the pitch, arms aloft, aeroplane-style.
That is what it felt like to achieve a career ambition, having been denied the ball for so long.
Even in this Test, Kiwis captain Tim Southee didn't offer Phillips any overs during Australia's first innings 383, in which Cam Green finished unbeaten on 174.
But Phillips removed the 22-year-old in Australia's second innings, fizzing a delivery on a good line and length, which Green nicked on to his pad, allowing Will Young to take a diving catch from short leg.
Phillips's wicket celebrations grew ever more enthusiastic on Saturday. (AP PHOTO)
Phillips - who started his international career as a T20 wicketkeeper - opened up on his bowling dreams to Radio Tarana's Rahul Patil on the sidelines of last year's one-day international World Cup.
"It's been a goal for the last couple of years to be able to bowl in Test cricket," he said.
"If I can take a Test wicket at some point that'll be a dream come true."
Phillips, 27, has more than 100 international appearances for New Zealand in short-form cricket, claiming career-best ODI figures at last year's World Cup against Australia.
He took 3-37 in Dharamshala - claiming top-order stars David Warner, Travis Head and Steve Smith - as New Zealand fell short in a group-stage chase.
Until this summer, Phillips had just one Test to his name.
He played in Sydney during New Zealand's disastrous 2019/20 tour, called up for the dead-rubber third Test due to mounting injuries and illness, making 52 as the Black Caps fell to another big loss.
Phillips was left with the impression he needed to make himself more valuable to Test selectors.
"We have a really strong Test side and the way to be able to break my way in there is to be able to offer more overs with the ball," he said.
The first BLACKCAPS spinner to take a Test five-wicket haul in New Zealand since Jeetan Patel in 2008 � — BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) #NZvAUS pic.twitter.com/GirNDVd1kOMarch 2, 2024
Given another chance at Test level this summer, Phillips has been thrown the ball - taking wickets in Bangladesh, at home to South Africa, and now against Australia.
"I've loved bowling since my beginning in cricket," he said.
"I got stuck with keeping for a long time and I've been trying to get out of it for a very long time."
Nathan Lyon, the veteran spinner for the world No.1 Test team, said Phillips had his respect - even after pestering him throughout the Test.
"He's been talking to me nearly every morning about spin bowling," Lyon said.
"The boys are saying he's probably the Marnus (Labuschagne) of New Zealand cricket - just loves it, absolutely loves it - and that's a positive thing.
"We all love cricket, and a couple guys love it even more than what we probably should.
"Credit to Glenn, he bowled really well, stuck to a pretty simple game plan and was too good."
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