After the leadership passed from Tim Southee to Tom Latham, the New Zealand team is under pressure to rise ahead of the daunting assignment in India.
Following an utter defeat in a 2-0 series away to Sri Lanka, Tim Southee stepped down from New Zealand test captaincy and the cricket board appointed Tom Latham as the New Zealand test captain.
Having captained the side nine times, Latham was the obvious choice to take the reins from Southee. However, Latham praised the predecessor Southee while struggling to take the team back to its glory for his permanent appointment as captain.
“I obviously feel very privileged to be given the opportunity and (with) luck we have plenty of leaders in the group. I’ll soon be leaning on them throughout my time, I would say.”
The opener has an average of 39.41 from 82 tests and has remained at the top of New Zealand’s batting order for a decade.
Tim Southee has stepped down as BLACKCAPS Test captain, with Tom Latham confirmed to take up the role full-time.
Latham, who has captained the Test side on nine previous occasions, will lead a 15-strong Test squad including Southee, to India next Friday https://t.co/rdMjvX6Nd5
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 1, 2024
His career has coincided with a golden era for New Zealand cricket driven by former skippers Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson.
Southee has been in charge of the New Zealand test side since Kane Williamson stepped down at the end of 2022. He has captained the side in 14 matches the side to 6 victories, 2 draws and 6 losses.
The 35-year-old believes that his stepping down from captaincy was in the best interests of the team and said that he will support Tom Latham as the new captain.
Latham now takes over the team at a lower ebb, with four successive test defeats racked up either side of the side washed out one-off test against Afghanistan.
India has won a record 18 home test series in succession with a 2-0 defeat against Bangladesh, Latham will be under pressure to lead from the front in the three-match series starting in Bangalore on October 16.
“It’s obviously a great challenge that’s ahead and I guess it’s something to look forward to,” he said.
India remains in the top position while the Blackcaps dropped one place to fourth place in the WTC points table. The first match of the India tests will start on October 16 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
