Tim Southee has, over the last decade, emerged as a pillar of New Zealand cricket. The Black Caps veteran shares his IPL experiences. Excerpts:
You have been a part of five IPL change-rooms so far. Can you summarise your decade-long journey in IPL?
Well, now ten teams, so there’s still five more to go (chuckles). I have been been very lucky to experience a number of IPL teams, managed to pick up a couple of titles along the way and made the final this year. Those are the most memorable moments.
Obviously, the success with Chennai in 2011 was an amazing experience and also with Mumbai a few years back. But the thing I enjoy the most is just playing cricket in India. Also the friendships you make. You go into an Indian team environment as an overseas player and by the time you walk away after two months, the friendships you have made and the people you have managed to get to know that time is something I really enjoy going over there.
Being an IPL veteran, do you think it’s time IPL does away with full rejig of squads every three or four years?
It’s a tough one. It’s obviously been something that’s been a part of the IPL from the start and it’s the hardest thing probably for the fans who get connected with the side and also the players on that side and then that gets changes every three or four years. It’s tough for the fans with the chopping and changing of players. I am not sure. It’s above my pay bracket to find out what the best solution is for that.
Cricket in New Zealand isn’t as lucrative as it is in some of the more cricket-driven regions. How much will the scenario change with an OTT platform coming on board as a broadcast partner?
It’s great to to partner up with Amazon Prime and and I get that to go into India, such a massive market and such a love for cricket is big for us. But for us we started playing cricket because we loved it as kids and and we have been able to kick on and and make a career of it. So for us the first and foremost thing is enjoyment of playing and being able to represent your country and do something that you love doing.
Are you an OTT geek?
I am a country boy so I grew up in the countryside, spent a lot of time indoors and in front of screens as a kid, but in the current climate that we are living in with the bubble life and very much confined to a hotel, there is a lot more time for guys to catch up on on various streaming sites and plenty of things to watch nowadays which makes those tough times away and stuck in a hotel. It’s a little bit better.
What are the targets you have set for yourself in the next couple of years?
You look at someone like James Anderson. He is still being able to as a bowler play 160 Test matches, Stuart Broad has played 150 Test matches, which is incredible. For them to be going in their late 30s is admirable from a fellow fast bowler. I have just recently turned 33, so yeah, it’s actually many more years to go. If there is something I really love doing, it’s playing cricket and representing New Zealand and having the chance to to go out and fulfill a childhood dream. I’d love to do it for for many years to come.
Amazon Prime Video debuts Live cricket streaming on January 1, 2022.
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