Following a 150-run loss to Bangladesh in Sylhet, New Zealand captain Tim Southee evaluated his team’s performance after a difficult start to their Test Championship campaign. He concluded that a major problem besetting the batting and bowling departments was consistency. He expected a wicket that favoured spin in their upcoming match in Dhaka, just like in their previous meeting.
In light of the heartbreaking loss in Sylhet, the seasoned pacer acknowledged Bangladesh’s ongoing progress and gave them credit for outperforming him. He declined to blame the defeat on any residual tiredness from the ODI World Cup campaign. Notably, barely two weeks prior to the start of the Test series in Bangladesh, Southee and five other teammates were members of the side that played India in the semifinals.
“Clearly, a distinct surface is the first and main. Once more, we anticipate conditions that are definitely spin-friendly. We discussed as a bowling group after the last game how to be more consistent over the long term. Naturally, partnerships as a batting unit come next. We have had an excellent first few days of instruction. I’m eager to play another Test match,” Tim Southee stated, as reported by Cricbuzz.
We simply need to improve somewhat over time. Tim Southee
The Kiwis now have more alternatives for spin with the services of left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner and the talented Rachin Ravindra, who impressed during the World Cup.
The two had a lengthy net session before the second test, which may indicate a shift in strategy toward using spin. talking about the team’s preparation and the possibility of a spin-friendly pitch in the upcoming game. The 34-year-old stressed how critical it is for every bowler to step up and apply constant pressure.
It all comes down to the bowling group as a whole being marginally better than we were in the opening test match and applying some pressure. We can be certain that spin will be important in this region of the earth. Thus, I believe we only need to improve a little bit longer,” Southee said.