Southee revealed that he thought about retiring from the format on the recent tour of India, where he raised the idea with coach Gary Stead, and decided that his last three Tests would be the “marquee” series against England at home, especially after the win in the series. India gave New Zealand a boost to qualify for the WTC final, for which Southee will be available if he makes it.
“I guess if you look at what’s in front of you, last year was the World Cup and we had the T20 World Cup earlier this year,” Southee told reporters about how he came to the decision. “We had this bit of Test cricket, which I guess was exciting over the last 12 months, and you get to the end of that exciting bit and you look ahead and it’s a marquee series against a big opponent (England), one obviously who I started against it all those years ago and it feels good.
“I think playing a game for New Zealand was a dream come true. So to do it at a young age was very special and I guess to sit here and [realise] It’s gone, it’s gone extremely quickly and sit here and on the next… however long you reflect, you will reflect longer. It’s been a great journey and there’s still a little way to go. But I certainly didn’t think when I walked into that field in Napier that we’d be here 17 years later, that’s for sure. But yes, it has been a true privilege and a true honor to fulfill a childhood dream. And represent our country.
Looking back at the last 12 months, Southee said: “I think, after what happened in India, it’s obviously given us an opportunity [for the WTC final]but we have three games left against us against a pretty good opponent. So, like every game, we will try to take care of Christchurch first and give ourselves the best opportunity to perform there. But ideally, obviously, it would be good to move on and have another chance in the Test Championship final. “But we know there is a lot of hard work to do between now and then, but we are certainly giving ourselves the opportunity to do so after a special few weeks in India.”
Southee’s final three Tests will be in Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton, which is now his home, and that will raise the emotional quotient of his farewell match, playing in front of close friends and family.
“One last chance at three courses that have been pretty good for me and places I really love to play. It’s a tough decision, but I think it’s the right one. [We’ve] I also got some promising young bowlers to emerge, who I really enjoyed working with and I hope I taught them a thing or two along the way. And they’ve certainly taught me a thing or two as well, so it’s been a pleasure and now it’s time to continue to push this team forward.
Test cricket is… There’s nothing like it. “I think one feeling I will definitely miss is the energy of the first day.”
Southee on what he will miss most about Test cricket
“Hamilton is home now, so it’s good that [I’ll be] to be able to walk there and drive home, probably not drive home, but just be able to finish in front of friends and family,” Southee said. “It’s a ground that I’ve played a lot of cricket on and I’ve had a lot of cricket for the northern districts and New Zealand. So it’s a special place like the other two, the Basin and obviously also an incredible test site at Hagley Oval. As I said, it feels good against a very good opponent, a great teammate, who is also the opponent’s coach. “The guy has played a big role in my career and, like I said, he’s a very close friend.”
Southee had made his Napier debut in March 2008 against England under the captaincy of Daniel Vettori, and with senior players Stephen Fleming and McCullum also in the team. He took five for in the first innings before closing out the Test, which New Zealand lost by 121 runs, smashing an unbeaten 77 for 40, studded with nine sixes.
“It was just a dream start,” he said of his Test debut. “I think just walking through that locker room, you see people like Vettori, Fleming, McCullum as a 19-year-old kid. That was just a special week. Obviously, the result wasn’t what we wanted, but I guess being able to perform at that level and just starting to switch with your heroes and being able to get some wickets and some runs in that first game was pretty special.
Southee also reflected on New Zealand’s rise in all formats in the last 10-odd years, where they reached two ODI World Cup finals in the last three editions and a T20 World Cup final in 2021, in addition to lift the first World Test Championship by beating India. in the 2021 finale, saying the seeds for them were sown around 2012 under McCullum.
“I think if you look back it was in the 2012 period when Brendon took over and there was a real change in the way we played and the style we played and it felt good,” he said. “We had a great group of players who were consistent for almost 10 years. The Boults, Wagner, Watlings, Williamson, Taylors, Latham. There is a great group of guys who were able to play together consistently. In the good teams around the world there is a lot consistency between them, so having guys that you know inside out and playing with them for almost 10 years, I think that contributed a lot to the success that we had. We just saw guys come into a good environment, very skilled players, capable of. come and show what they’re capable of and they’ve kind of continued that, so I hope that continues for the next few years as well.
When asked what he will miss most about the format, Southee said: “I think everything. Test cricket is… There is nothing like it. I think one feeling I will certainly miss is the energy of the first day. Anyone who have played Test cricket I will understand what I mean by the energy of day one in the dressing room, just the uncertainty around everything and there is a real feeling, sit back and feel I will certainly miss that feeling of going out on the field, representing your country in the. Whites. of things you miss when you’re sitting afterwards, whether you’ve won, lost or drawn. Just sitting in the locker room, there’s a lot of things you’ll miss some stage. And I’ve been very lucky to play 104 of them so far. I hope a couple more.
Ahead of their final Test series starting on November 28, Southee will also feature in the Northern Districts Plunket Shield clash against Auckland at home in Hamilton from November 19-22.
Vishal Dikshit is assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo
