We are excited to do what no other NZ side has done before: Tim Southee

New Zealand pacer Tim Southee and the rest of his New Zealand teammates have every reason to be over the moon and excited. They stand on the brink of achieving what no other New Zealand team has achieved in the past.

The India v New Zealand bilateral ODI rivalry dates back to 1988 when Dilip Vengsarkar’s India thrashed John Wright’s Kiwis 4-0. Mohammad Azharuddin’s India then completed a 3-2 win over the Kiwis in 1995 before the Indians under Sachin Tendulkar completed a similar result in 1999.

However, the fact of the matter remains that the New Zealand team under Ross Taylor suffered their worst defeat when stand-in skipper Gautam Gambhir led India to a 5-0 thumping against the Kiwis all those years ago in 2010. Southee stated the excitement all the New Zealanders are feeling at the moment.

“I think the guys are pretty excited to do what no other NZ side has ever done before — come over here and win a one-day series. The excitement in the group is very high,” the New Zealand pacer said on the eve of the series decider.

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“Everyone is really looking forward to tomorrow. It’s been a long tour for some guys and it’ll be nice to finish what’s been a tough tour on a high note. The spirits are high and everyone is excited about the challenge for tomorrow,” Southee added.

“I think it’s just the communication. From the batters spent some town in the middle and what they find tough they feed that information to the bowlers,” Southee explained the reason.

As far as team selection goes, Tim Southee said, “Kane and (coach) Mike will look at the wicket and they’ll come up with the best side they think suited for the wicket,” he said about the surface that has seen India’s monumental 356/9 against Pakistan in the venue’s first ODI in 2005.

“We’ve chopped and changed throughout the series. The pitches have changed in each game. So I guess it’ll be whatever we think the best mix is for this game.”

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Speaking about some of the youngsters in the squad, Southee said, “They’re all very young and still learning the game and so I think it’s exciting in the years to come with those three guys all in their early to mid-20s with big future ahead of them. I don’t think it’s a worry at all, it’s one of their strengths going forward over the next possible 10 years, we’ll have three guys fighting out keeping each other on their toes.”

Finally, Southee stressed on the fact that the Kiwis would have a plan for Virat Kohli. “He’s a quality player especially when India is chasing, his record chasing is phenomenal. He’s obviously a big wicket when any side plays against India. Him and Dhoni they’re records are unbelievable.

“We have to keep taking wickets. They got quality players in and around those two. We saw the games we’ve won its come down to their last wicket partnerships. They’ve scrambled few runs as well. Not only Kohli but it’s important to keep taking wickets.”

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