'We have right to play more Test cricket' - New Zealand pacer Tim Southee after WTC Triumph

New Zealand cricket team must be on cloud nine after defeating India in the high-voltage ICC World Test Championship final at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. The Kane Williamson-led side put up a spectacular show in the summit clash and walked away with an eight-wicket triumph. The Kiwis won’t look back after tasting glory and many are backing them to become an even more formidable Test team in the future.

Speaking of the coming time, New Zealand pace spearhead Tim Southee believes that winning the inaugural WTC could pave the way for the Blackcaps to play longer Test series often. For the unversed, New Zealand have played 18 bilateral Test series over the last five years. However, only four of them have been three-match series while the other series consisted of just two games.

I guess playing more Test cricket as a whole would be nice: Tim Southee

Nevertheless, Southee is hopeful that things can change with New Zealand now being the world champions of Test cricket. “I guess one of our strengths as a side is that we sort of just concentrate on what’s put in front of us, and what we try and achieve as a group, [but] I guess playing more Test cricket as a whole would be nice,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Southee as per saying.

“We don’t play that many three-match series, so I guess just being able to play more Test matches and hopefully more three-match series rather than two-match series. But yeah, I think it’s tough with future tours [programme] already being in place up to now, but just being able to perform at this level for a number of years and being a consistent side, I guess we have that right to play more Test cricket,” he added.

Meanwhile, Southee played a crucial role in taking the Kiwis to the WTC trophy. With 56 wickets in 11 matches, the right-arm pacer finished the tournament as New Zealand’s highest wicket-taker. His performance in the summit clash wasn’t ordinary either.

He scalped a total of five wickets in the game alongside scoring a handy 30 in Blackcaps’ first innings. The star fast bowler would certainly like to continue his sensational form and shine in the next WTC cycle as well.