Tim Southee, the captain of New Zealand, believes that their next two-Test series against Bangladesh, the hosts, will be a “hard-fought” match that his team must win to get off to a strong start in the ICC Test Championship.
At the Monday pre-match press conference in Sylhet, Southee stated, “We know Bangladesh are a great side in these conditions and it’s going to be a great and hard-fought Test series.”
The first Test match for both teams in the 2023–25 cycle of the ICC Test Championship will take place at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
New Zealand placed sixth in the second cycle of the competition after winning the first one.
Now, the Kiwis want to make a trip back to the highest level of Test cricket and want to start the voyage well against the Tigers in Sylhet.
It’s exciting since a fresh cycle is beginning. It’s a challenging venue to play Test cricket. Bangladesh is a formidable opponent in these circumstances. We haven’t played any Test cricket in a while. I’m eager to get started on it.
“This is a fresh cycle; it’s clear that the last one didn’t proceed as well as anticipated. The lads that participated in the inaugural Test Championship cycle are aware of the unique feeling that results from performing well in the championship.”