‘Plenty of offers out there that weren’t around years ago’ – Tim Southee on cricket’s ‘changing landscape’

Virat Kohli and Tim Southee. (Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

New Zealand Test captain Tim Southee spoke about the high-profile players in world cricket declining central contracts to make themselves free for franchise cricket. The club versus country conundrum is starting to hurt New Zealand cricket as the Blackcaps are having to play international cricket without some of their most established players.

Southee, however, is hopeful that the franchise leagues and the cricket boards will work in unison and devise plans to solve the growing problem. Ahead of New Zealand’s departure to India to play a historic one-off Test against Afghanistan in Greater Noida, the right-arm pacer asserted that New Zealand Cricket (NZC) was “trying to come up with what’s best for both parties”. While several premier Kiwi cricketers have denied taking central contracts, Southee believes that the ones who are going to represent the national team have what it takes to succeed.

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“There are plenty of offers out there that weren’t around years ago. But yeah, at the moment it’s concentrate on playing for New Zealand and giving that everything at the moment. We’ve seen a number of guys who haven’t taken contracts, guys that are sitting on this plane with guys with contracts,” Southee was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Among the players who have refused contracts in recent times are former captain Kane Williamson, and pacers Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, and Adam Milne. Meanwhile, Devon Conway has opted for a casual contract.

Williamson, however, is in the squad for the Afghanistan Test, which begins on Monday, September 9. This is the first of the nine Test matches New Zealand play in the sub-continent in the next few months. After the Test against Afghanistan, the Blackcaps will play two Tests against Sri Lanka in September, followed by a three-match Test series against hosts India. In November-December, New Zealand have a three-match home Test series against England.

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“If you look at it as a whole – six Test matches in the subcontinent – it’s exciting. It’s probably something we haven’t done, in my time anyway. It’s a great challenge for the side,” Southee opined.