Southee looks forward to 'exciting challenge' in the evolving world of cricket

New Zealand's cricket team is feeling the impact of the club vs country issue, as several key players are choosing to forego central contracts. With a grueling schedule of nine upcoming Test matches, Test captain Tim Southee has addressed the issue, attributing it to the evolving nature of international cricket.

He recently expressed hope that the cricket boards and the franchise leagues find a way of "working together" to resolve the issue, and ahead of New Zealand's departure for India to play Afghanistan in a one-off Test in Greater Noida, said that his country's board was "trying to come up with what's best for both parties".

"There are plenty of offers out there that weren't around years ago," he said. "But yeah, at the moment it's concentrate on playing for New Zealand and giving that everything at the moment."

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It won't affect the team, he said: "We've seen a number of guys who haven't taken contracts, guys that are sitting on this plane with guys with contracts."

Among the players who have refused contracts in recent months are Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, and Adam Milne. Of them, Williamson is in the squad for the Afghanistan Test, which will be the first of six Tests in the subcontinent (with two in Sri Lanka and two in India to follow), after which New Zealand will host England at home in November-December.

"If you look at it as a whole - six Test matches in the subcontinent - it's exciting," Southee said. "It's probably something we haven't done, in my time anyway. It's a great challenge for the side."

First up: Afghanistan.

When they played each other at the T20 World Cup earlier this year, Afghanistan won by 84 runs after bowling New Zealand out for 75 in Providence.

"They are still new to the red-ball format, but we've seen in the other formats what a side they can be," Southee said. "Just recently in the T20 World Cup, last year in the one-day World Cup [where Afghanistan finished sixth], they are an improving side. They've had great success in those two formats, and I am sure as a country they want to have success in the longer format as well.

"Every time we have come up against them in a world event in the last five or six years, we know they are an improving side and a dangerous side. Especially in their part of the world. We just saw them making the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, a couple of upsets last year, and the one-day World Cup as well. So we know they are a very good side in those conditions."

Six Tests in the subcontinent could well mean the quick bowlers taking a backseat at times and the spinners taking centre stage. New Zealand have a good bunch in their tournament party: there is the left-arm spin of Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell Santner, and the offspin of Michael Bracewell, to go with the part-time offspin of Glenn Phillips. Afghanistan's spin threat, of course, is a real one.

Tim Southee was in good form for Birmingham Phoenix at the Men's Hundred

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"That part of the world, spin is going to play a big part. They've got some quality spinners, mixed in with some quality quicks as well," Southee said. "We've seen in other formats that's been their strength, their bowling unit, particularly their spinners. It's going to be an exciting challenge.

"[The role of the spinners] might change from venue to venue, change from India to Sri Lanka and back to India. We have the options. We have guys that can bowl spin, offspin, left-arm spin, so we've got a good mix, mixed in with some quality pace as well. It's exciting for all the spinners. We were in Bangladesh last year, so as a spin bowler, I'm sure you're looking forward to this challenge."

As for his own game, Southee acknowledged, not for the first time, that he wasn't "at my best towards the end of the summer". But "the body is good," he said as a bunch of New Zealand players left Auckland for India, adding, "The cricket I have played since [the last summer] has been pretty good, so I have enjoyed a bit of a break and enjoyed a bit of the cricket as well."

The Test against Afghanistan will be played from September 9 to 13 after which New Zealand will travel to Sri Lanka before returning to India.