Tim Southee has resigned as New Zealand’s Test captain, allowing Tom Latham to lead the team. Latham’s first task will be a three-match series against India, beginning on October 16 in Bangalore. When New Zealand, captained by Latham, arrives in India in a few weeks, it will face its most difficult assignment yet. Between 2020 and 2022, Latham governed NZ nine times, all of which were interim.
Southee has 382 wickets from 102 Tests and is only second to Richard Hadlee as his country’s most wicket-taker. So far, the tour to New Zealand’s subcontinent has not gone well. First, because of inclement weather, no ball was bowled in the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Greater Noida. Sri Lanka defeated them 2-0 in the Test series, including an innings defeat in the second game in Galle.
New Zealand Appoints Test Captain
Tim Southee, who took over as captain of the Black Caps in December 2022 after Kane Williamson quit, has led his team in 14 Tests, winning six, losing six, and drawing two. “Captaining the Blackcaps in a format that is so distinctive to me has been a tremendous honor and privilege,” Southee stated.
Southee, one of New Zealand’s most prolific pacemen, has had a remarkable career since his Test debut in 2008. He has taken 382 wickets in 102 Test matches. However, throughout his 14 matches as captain, Southee struggled to sustain his typical standards, taking 35 wickets at an average of 38.60, much higher than his career average of 28.99.
His performance in Sri Lanka was particularly poor, with only two wickets in 49 overs in two games, highlighting the difficulty of leading the team while simultaneously managing his form. Southee desires to enhance his on-field performance and regain his peak form, which he feels would assist the squad. Southee has indicated a desire to assist his colleagues, particularly younger bowlers coming on the international stage.
Latham’s International Journey
After leading the Blackcaps in nine Test matches from 2020 to 2022, Latham is back in charge as New Zealand, the first World Test Championship (WTC) winner, is ranked sixth in the WTC. The series against top-ranked India will be played in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai, providing Latham with a huge task in his first full-time captaincy duty. Latham became the first New Zealand batsman in 24 years to score hundreds in consecutive Tests against Pakistan in the UAE. Since then, he has been a consistent top-order player for NZ in Test cricket.
In December 2018, he carried his bat in a Test against Sri Lanka in Wellington, scoring 264 not out to set a new Test match record for the highest score by an opener while carrying his bat, surpassing Alastair Cook’s 244 not out against Australia in 2017. He was also the second New Zealand opener to carry his bat in a test. Glenn Turner has already done it twice.
Final Words
Tom Latham now takes on a critical role as New Zealand’s Test captain. His leadership will be challenged immediately away with the difficult series against India. Tim Southee’s choice to stand down enables him to concentrate on his game. New Zealand has a difficult journey, but Latham’s consistent presence can assist. His top-tier consistency and previous leadership experience make him well-prepared. The forthcoming series will be a challenge for the squad and Latham, who is taking on full-time captaincy for the first time.
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