Tim Southee's spot in jeopardy as New Zealand look toward new bowling structure

New Zealand will be touring India for the three-match Test series with the first Test scheduled to commence from October 16, in Bengaluru. Notably, Tim Southee stepped down from the captaincy position after the team was handed a 0-2 defeat by Sri Lanka, recently.

With the experienced Tom Latham leading the side, the veteran’s spot in the team is hanging in balance. Southee has an impressive record playing India, plucking 20 wickets at an average of 28.70. Moreover, his career-best figures (7/64) came 12 years ago in Bengaluru.

But with New Zealand likely to field two-seamers, the right-arm pacer’s prospects of featuring in the playing XI, look bleak. It is worth noting that, the two seamers of New Zealand, Matt Henry, and William O'Rourke have become the go-to choices in the team. The Kiwi Head Coach, Gary Stead did not reveal the conversation with Southee after the Sri Lanka series but said that the latter not being in a captaincy position offers flexibility for the team in the selection process.

Also Check: New Zealand announce squad for Test series against India 

"Like all Test tours and series we have reviews at the end of it and Tim and I had a conversation around it, then he made the decision to stand down. He thought it was in the best interests of the team. I supported his decision around that,” Stead said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

“It allows different players to be considered in roles and as a selector and coach you are always trying to put what you think is the very best team out there. With Tim as captain, he was the guy who was starting for us and leading that team and think we were always looking at the options that were best for the team going forward,” he added.

Also Read: Special feeling to be named full-time captain: Tom Latham

Southee inching closer to 400-wicket milestone

On the other hand, Tim Southee is engrossed in getting back his lost bowling form which accounted for 382 wickets in his extended cricketing career. With the help of bowling coach, Jacob Oram, the former New Zealand skipper will be eying to get back to the old routine as he could become the second bowler from his country to breach the 400-wicket mark.