New Zealand red-ball skipper Tim Sothee pointed out 'a spin challenge' in the upcoming Test tour to the Indian subcontinent on Wednesday. New Zealand are set to travel to India and Sri Lanka in their first assignment since an early exit at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
The Black Caps are set to travel to Greater Noida for a historic Test match against Afghanistan starting on September 9. Both teams will be facing each other for the first time in Test cricket. New Zealand next travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests scheduled in Galle from September 18 before returning to India for the three-match Test series starting on October 16.
New Zealand are expected to face difficulties due to spin-friendly pitches in the subcontinent and might heavily rely on spin options. Southee admitted a potential spin threat in the upcoming series but revealed that his team offers a good balance.
"It's just natural when you're in this part of the world, spin plays a big part," Tim Southee told PTI. "But ideally, I'd like to play all the Test matches available. I love Test cricket, but I understand there's balance to the side and obviously it's not easy."
The 35-year-old Southee is reportedly expected to miss some Test matches in the next tours due to workload management but he revealed his desire to feature in every match.
"We've got nine Test matches in the next few months," Southee added further. "There's a lot of Test cricket, so it's all about managing the workloads. But for me, as long as you're fit and ready to go, then I'd like to play every game. As players, you want to play more Test cricket. It's nice to be able to come here and play three Test matches."
New Zealand have already announced a strong squad for a one-off Test against Afghanistan which features five spin options and four pace bowlers.
