BAN vs NZ: Tim Southee urges New Zealand to show sustained consistency in spin-friendly Dhaka

In the wake of a challenging start to their Test Championship campaign, New Zealand skipper Tim Southee assessed his team's performance following a 150-run loss against Bangladesh in Sylhet. He identified consistency as a key issue plaguing both the bowling and batting departments. Looking ahead to their next clash in Dhaka, he anticipated a pitch favouring spin, much like the previous encounter.

Reflecting on the Sylhet heartbreak, the veteran pacer credited Bangladesh for outplaying his side, acknowledging the opponent's continuous improvement. He refrained from attributing the loss to any lingering fatigue from the ODI World Cup campaign. Notably, Southee and five other teammates had recently been part of the squad that faced India in the semi-finals, just a fortnight before entering the Test series in Bangladesh.

"First and foremost, obviously a different surface. Again, we're expecting obviously spin-friendly conditions. After the last game, we spoke about being more consistent for longer as a bowling group. And then, obviously, partnerships as a batting unit. We've had a great couple of days of training. So looking forward to getting into another Test match," Southee said as quoted by Cricbuzz.

We just got to be a bit better for longer: Southee

Having the services of left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and the promising Rachin Ravindra, who showcased brilliance during the World Cup, the Kiwi's now boast additional spin options.

Ahead of the second Test, the duo engaged in an extended net session, hinting at a potential strategy shift towards leveraging spin. Discussing the prospect of a spin-friendly pitch in the next match and the team's readiness. The 34-year-old emphasized the importance of the entire bowling group stepping up and maintaining sustained pressure. 

"It's about the whole bowling group just being slightly better than what we were in the first Test match and creating some pressure. We know that spin is going to play a big part in this part of the world. So, I think we just got to be a bit better for longer," Southee concluded.