The guys were hurting a bit: Tim Southee

Just a few short days before the start of New Zealand’s Test series against India, the Kiwis were dealt a body blow when they lost Tim Southee to an injury. This meant that the bowling unit was significantly weakened in spite of the obvious spin factor that is the new wave of tracks being prepared in India.

However, with 135 wickets to his name, Southee will be looking to give the Kiwis the boost they so desperately require when it comes to the five-match ODI series. Having been ruled out courtesy of a sore ankle, Tim Southee will be back for New Zealand in the opener of the ODI series at the hill station of Dharamsala.

Corey Anderson, who suffered a similar injury to that of Tim Southee will also be back in the grand scheme of things. Southee, who has not played an ODI for New Zealand this year, said “the guys were hurting a bit” after the Test disappointment but predicted a close ODI series which he was particularly looking forward to.

In spite of the fact that New Zealand will be hampered by the absence of several bowlers in their roster, Southee mentioned that he was indeed excited to make his long-awaited comeback. “It’s never nice to be injured and having to watch so it’s exciting to get back out there,” he told New Zealand Cricket’s website.

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“We can’t dwell on it (the defeat in the Tests) too much, we have an important one-day series ahead that everyone is looking forward to and I think (it) will be a very evenly contested one-day series.

“We’ve shown in the last wee while that we’re a good one day side and we’re looking to always improve that record away from home as well and there’s no better place to do it than in one of the harder places to tour.”

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