NEWS
Follow UsThe New Zealand Test team hasn’t played Test cricket for almost six months now. The last they played was in their home Test summer in March, earlier this year.
However, within a span of one and half months, they’ll be playing a two-Test series against Sri Lanka, and then a three-Test series against India in October and November. Post that, they’ll also be hosting England at home for three more Tests in November-December.
“We've had a bit of a break from Test cricket since the end of our home summer and now we've got an important part in terms of the Test championship cycle," New Zealand Test skipper Tim Southee said on the eve of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
"We've got eight games between now and December, so it's an exciting time for us as a Test side and tough times ahead of us - here in Sri Lanka obviously, India in India and then England at home.”
New Zealand would have had a good warmup for the Tests against Sri Lanka and India in the subcontinent had their game against Afghanistan in Greater Noida went on. However, it was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
"Yeah it was disappointing [not to play against Afghanistan] but we still spent a week [in India] which we got some positives out of,” skipper Southee said.
“We got some training in, some great training here. We spent some time together as a Test side - been a while since we've been together - so to have that time, and bonding over that time in India was important as well.”
Veteran Lankan left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has joined the Kiwis as a spin bowling coach ahead of their subcontinent assignment, and Southee is positive that it will definitely help the squad’s three left-arm spinners (Ajaz Patel, Mitch Santner, and Rachin Ravindra) adjust and find their line and length in foreign conditions.
“[He's] a guy who's taken over 100 Test wickets on this ground, and been a Sri Lankan great. We've got three left-arm spinners in the squad, who he's been working closely with, along with our other spinners,” Southee said.
Additionally, he backed the balance in his bowling attack and feels that they have covered all the bases.
“I think historically here, Galle in particular, spin has played a pretty big part. But as pace bowler if you can come here and do well, that's a tough challenge but a very rewarding challenge.
"You look at the balance of squad, we've got specialist spinners, we've got guys at the top of the order that can offer spin options, as well as four quality seam bowlers that offer different options as well. I think we've got a number of bases covered, I guess it's just figuring out what balance is the right one to go in with in these conditions. And that can change from the first match to the second match, and then obviously when you go to India it could change again.
"So I think it's about having a squad that can cover all bases,” Southee remarked.
The first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand begins on September 18 (Wednesday) at Galle, followed by the second Test on September 26.
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