HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIM SOUTHEE: Tim Southee is among the most lethal bowlers across all formats of cricket presently. Alongside Trent Boult, Southee has formed a menacing pace duo for the Kiwis. This fearsome duo has been the cornerstone of New Zealand’s remarkable success in international cricket in the last few years. Southee has a rich repertoire up his sleeve and his consistency transcends the conditions on offer.
The wily Southee is a smart cricketer and can bowl more than one variation of the same ball. Although he has excelled against every Test-playing nation, the infallible Southee reserves his best for Team India.
On Southee’s 34th birthday today, December 11, let us take a look at some of his finest spells against India.
7/64 in Test, Bengaluru (2012)
Southee ran through India’s star-studded batting line-up in the second Test match at Bengaluru during New Zealand’s tour to the country in 2012. The Kiwi pacer picked up seven wickets in India’s first innings and restricted the hosts to 353. Although India eventually won that match, Southee showed his true class in that Test. Southee’s spell of 7/64 included the wickets of Gautam Gambhir, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli.
5/61 in Test, Wellington (2020)
The Kiwis registered their 100th Test win, courtesy of Tim Southee’s 10th five-wicket-haul in Wellington in 2020. Southee, with his spell of 5/61, tore through India’s batting line-up in the second innings. The visitors were bundled out for 191 runs riding on the back of Southee’s exploits with the ball.
4/48 in Test, Southampton (2021)
Tim Southee is a big-match player and proved his utility in the high-stakes final of the inaugural World Test Championship. Southee’s invaluable spell of 4/48 in India’s second innings turned the tide in New Zealand’s favour. Virat Kohli-led India were bowled out for just 170 runs in their second innings as Southee dismissed both Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill early on. New Zealand went on to chase the target of 139 quite easily in the end.
3/34 in T20Is, Mount Maunganui (2022)
Tim Southee picked up an impressive hat trick against India during the second T20I at the Bay Oval in 2022. While the rest of the bowlers were being milked for plenty of runs, Southee was the only bowler who looked effective. With his second hat trick in the shortest format of the game, Southee joined Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga as the only two bowlers to have two hat tricks in T20Is.
5/69 in Test, Kanpur (2021)
Southee produced one of his best spells in Test cricket in Kanpur during New Zealand’s tour of India in 2021. Southee picked up a five-wicket haul in India’s first innings. Without much help from the wicket, Southee, with his variations, managed to dismiss the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer and Ravindra Jadeja. His spell hampered India’s total and the hosts could only put up 345 runs on the board.
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