New Zealand men’s Test captain Tim Southee has said that India’s fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been brilliant in his showings across all three formats and added the pacer has been a force to reckon with since his return from a back injury which kept him 11 months away from the game. Southee is the second cricket star after Australia legend Ricky Ponting to hail Bumrah as a brilliant all-format bowler in the world.
Bumrah was back into action just in time for last year’s ODI World Cup, where he picked 20 wickets, and went on to claim 19 scalps in four Tests against England earlier this year. In June, Bumrah was named Player of the Tournament by picking 15 wickets at an economy rate of 4.17 as India won the Men’s T20 World Cup.
“He’s been incredible obviously to be able to firstly bounce back from the major injury he had and come back and he’s even better than what he was beforehand and then throw in on top of that having to juggle multiple formats can be difficult at times as well and he seems to have been able to do that with ease as well,” said Southee.
“He’s probably more experienced, understands his game a bit more, he probably had that time where he was injured to come back and be recharged, refreshed and I think we’ve just seen a great version of Jasprit Bumrah across all three formats. He’s brilliant across all three at the moment. I don’t think there’s anyone that he’s better in, he’s tremendous across all three,” said Southee to reporters on the sidelines of a Cricket Rating Awards show in Mumbai.
New Zealand are going to play a one-off Test against Afghanistan at Greater Noida in September, before travelling to Sri Lanka for a two-game Test series later in the month. New Zealand will be back in India in October for a three-match Test series and will fly back home to play three Tests against England.
Southee admitted he may not play all Test matches in the sub-continental conditions if the playing eleven needs to be balanced differently. “It is just natural when you come to this part of the world obviously spin plays a big part. But ideally, I would like to play all the test matches available. I love test cricket, but I understand there is a balance to the side and obviously it is not easy.”
“We have got nine Test matches in the next few months so there is a lot of Test cricket. So it is all about managing workloads. But for me, as long as you are fit and ready to go then I would like to play every game.”
Asked how New Zealand makes its workload choices, Southee explained, “I don’t think you go in with too many preconceived ideas but that is something that may happen. I think you are picking your best side for that Test match no matter where you are in the world. So I think that stays true wherever you go.”
“You pick your best side to win over the five days. We have got a lot of cricket in the subcontinent, six Test matches and three Test matches back home. So there is a big chunk of Test cricket to be excited about over the next few months,” he added.
With Kane Williamson, Devon Conway and Finn Allen declining New Zealand Cricket’s central contracts for the 2024/25 season, Southee stated that the first two players will still be available for the majority of Blackcaps’ Test matches.
“If you look at it from Kane and Devon’s point of view, they’re still committed to New Zealand cricket. We’ve got nine Test matches coming up. So they’re committed to those test matches. So as far as the Test side is concerned, it’s not too dissimilar. They’re still going to be there even though they don’t have a New Zealand contract,” Southee added.
Quizzed about how the changing landscape of T20 cricket will affect player availability for international cricket, Southee conceded he didn’t have an answer to it. “I don’t have the answers right now. I don’t think many people do. It’s about working out what’s best for each individual board and their players.”
“New Zealand Cricket has seemed to think that’s the best way forward for the next 12 months. I don’t think Kane and Devon will miss a lot of cricket for New Zealand. So for them to have the flexibility and ability in doing that but still also be committed to New Zealand, which I think that’s where the casual playing agreement comes in.”
“So like I said, as far as the Test cricket is concerned, those two will be heavily involved in the nine Test matches we’ve got through to the end of the year. It would be nice to see the international and the leagues working together in some way because especially Test cricket, I think a lot of players, it’s still the pinnacle of the format.”