Cricket

The exodus of Kiwi cricketers from national contracts to lucrative T20 leagues has raised concerns about player availability for New Zealand, according to captain Tim Southee. Star players like Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, and Finn Allen have recently opted for casual contracts, prioritizing franchise cricket over central contracts with New Zealand Cricket.Southee acknowledged the challenges this trend poses, particularly given New Zealand's limited player pool. "It's a small cricketing country in terms of numbers," he said. "It would be great to have as many people as possible available for New Zealand, but the way the world is going, it's getting harder and harder."New Zealand faces a demanding schedule in the coming months, with six Tests in the subcontinent, including three against India. The conditions will be vastly different from those in New Zealand, and Southee expects spinners to dominate."Conditions are foreign to what we're used to," Southee said. "But we're excited about the chance of playing six Test matches on the bounce here in the subcontinent."Southee, a pace bowler, may miss a game or two due to the expected dominance of spinners. "We've got four quality pace bowlers at our disposal," he said. "So it's about working out what balance is right."After the India series, New Zealand will host England for a Test series, concluding their World Test Championship duties. Southee emphasized the challenges of playing nine Tests in a short period."It's a challenge for every side," he said. "For players playing multi-formats, you have to balance the chopping and changing nature of busy schedules."Despite Afghanistan's inexperience in Test cricket, Southee warned against underestimating them. "Afghanistan has been an improving side for a number of years," he said. "They've got a lot of confidence from their success in the T20 World Cup and the one-day World Cup."

The club vs country debate has become a pressing issue in New Zealand cricket, with several high-profile players opting out of central contracts. Test captain Tim Southee acknowledges the challenge, attributing it to the "changing landscape of international cricket."Southee hopes for collaboration between cricket boards and franchise leagues to address the issue. He emphasizes that New Zealand's board is working towards a solution that benefits both parties.The proliferation of lucrative offers in franchise leagues has contributed to the dilemma. However, Southee insists that his focus remains on representing New Zealand. He believes the team will not be affected by the contract decisions, as there are players with and without contracts on the current tour.Among those who have declined contracts are Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, and Adam Milne. Williamson is part of the squad for the upcoming Test against Afghanistan, the first of six Tests in the subcontinent.Southee views the subcontinent tour as an exciting challenge, particularly for the spinners. New Zealand boasts a strong spin contingent, including Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, and Glenn Phillips.Afghanistan's spin threat is also acknowledged by Southee. He expects the spinners to play a significant role in the subcontinent conditions.Southee admits to not being at his best towards the end of the previous summer. However, he feels refreshed and ready for the upcoming challenges.The Test against Afghanistan will be played from September 9 to 13, followed by tours of Sri Lanka and India.