New Zealand faces club vs. country dilemma as top players opt out of central contracts

With the team gearing up for a challenging stretch of nine Test matches in the coming months, Test captain Tim Southee has acknowledged the issue, attributing it to the "changing landscape of international cricket."

Southee expressed optimism that cricket boards and franchise leagues could find a way to "work together" to address the situation.

As New Zealand prepares to head to India for a one-off Test against Afghanistan in Greater Noida, he mentioned that his country's cricket board is "working hard to find the best solution for both sides."

"There are plenty of offers out there that weren't around years ago," Southee said as per quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"But yeah, at the moment it's concentrate on playing for New Zealand and giving that everything at the moment," he added.

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

In recent months, several key players, including Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, and Adam Milne, have declined central contracts.

Among them, Williamson remains part of the squad for the upcoming Test against Afghanistan. This Test marks the beginning of a series of six matches in the subcontinent, with two more Tests in Sri Lanka and another two in India to follow. After these overseas fixtures, New Zealand will return home to host England in November-December.

"If you look at it as a whole - six Test matches in the subcontinent - it's exciting," he said as per quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"It's probably something we haven't done, in my time anyway. It's a great challenge for the side," he added.

Southee also praised the Afghanistan side, recently they were beaten by the Afghans in the T2O World Cup by 84 runs.

"They are still new to the red-ball format, but we've seen in the other formats what a side they can be," he 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," Southee noted.

"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," Southee said.

The Kiwis will be playing six Tests in the subconntinent, which could mean that the quick bowlers taking a backseat at times and the spinners taking centre stage.

New Zealand have some quality left arm spiners like Ajaz Patel, Rachin Ravindra and Mitchell Santner, and the offspin of Michael Bracewell, to go with the part-time offspin of Glenn Phillips.

Southee knows that the Afghanistan spinners could be a serious threat in Asia.

"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," he noted.

".... 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," he added.

New Zealand will be play one Test against Afghanistan from September 9 to 13, after that they will travel to Sri Lanka before returning to India. (ANI)