New Zealand red-ball captain Tim Sothee has signalled that he will “face a spin challenge” on the upcoming Test tour to the Indian subcontinent on Wednesday. New Zealand are set to travel to India and Sri Lanka in their first assignment since their early exit from the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.
The Black Caps will travel to Greater Noida for a historic Test match against Afghanistan starting from September 9. Both teams will be facing each other for the first time in Test cricket. New Zealand will travel to Sri Lanka for two Test matches scheduled in Galle starting from September 18 before returning to India for the three-match Test series starting from October 16.
New Zealand are expected to face difficulties due to the spin-friendly pitches in the subcontinent and could rely heavily on spin options. Southee admitted a possible threat of spin in the upcoming series but revealed his team offers a good balance.
“It’s natural that when you’re in this part of the world, the twist plays a big role.” Tim Southee “But the ideal would be to play every Test match available. I love Test cricket but I understand there is a balance between the two teams and obviously it’s not easy.”
Southee, 35, is reported to be missing a number of Test matches on the upcoming tours due to workload management but revealed his desire to take part in all matches.
“We have nine Test matches in the next few months,” Southee added. “There is a lot of Test cricket so it’s all about managing workloads. But for me, as long as I’m fit and ready to play, I’d like to play every match. As players, we want to play more Test cricket. It’s good to be able to come here and play three Test matches.”
New Zealand have already announced a strong squad for a one-off Test against Afghanistan that includes five spin options and four pace bowlers.
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