England Appoints Former Kiwi Spearhead as Bowling Consultant for the Test Series against India

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the appointment of former Kiwi spearhead Tim Southee as the bowling consultant for England’s men’s side. He will begin his stint in the one-off Test against Zimbabwe next week at Trent Bridge.

Tim Southee retired last year after serving New Zealand cricket for 16 years, taking 776 wickets — the most by any New Zealand bowler. He has played alongside Brendon McCullum, England’s current head coach, in 170 matches, including 78 under McCullum’s captaincy. He was also his teammate in various franchises, such as RCB in the IPL and Middlesex in the T20 Blast.

Southee will temporarily replace James Anderson, who took up the role after his retirement from international cricket. Anderson, however, is currently playing for Lancashire and won’t be available to serve the England men’s side during this period.

Southee’s new assignment will begin with the Test against Zimbabwe, followed by the white-ball series against West Indies at home. This will lead into a five-match Test series against India in June and July — a true test of Southee’s mentorship skills. His stint will conclude with the final Test on August 4 at The Oval.

Despite taking up the role of bowling consultant, Southee is not yet done with playing cricket. After his time with the England side concludes, he will play in The Hundred for Birmingham Phoenix.

The ECB welcomed the inclusion of the experienced bowler in their coaching staff and released a statement saying, “With his vast experience of playing in a wide range of conditions around the world and across all formats, [Southee] brings valuable insight and knowledge to the players.”