The changing nature of Aotearoa Blackcaps cricket has created an environment where players are eager to learn and chase improvements. Leaders set that tone and the best players not only need to show others about international cricket mahi, these leaders need to keep elevating their skills to earn selection. Tim Southee's Blackcaps mana is palpable and with his long time seam bowling partner opting to kick back, Southee enters an intriguing phase of his career.

Ahead of the ODI series vs Australia, Southee is a 1st 11 Test and T20I player who is dipped out of the ODI 1st 11. Signs of Southee chasing improvements has been evident in Test cricket where his ability to move the ball both ways saw his 31.45 average from 2008-17 drop down to 25.30avg from 2018 onwards. There was also improvement in Southee's T20I mahi as he went from 25.92avg/8.75rpo (2008-17) to 24.19avg/7.86rpo (2018 onwards).

Meanwhile Southee got slightly worse in ODI cricket with 33.51avg/5.40rpo (2008-17) jumping up to 35.54avg/5.59rpo more recently. While lads like Devon Conway, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Finn Allen, Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner and Lockie Ferguson have all made steady improvements in the last few years or since entering Blackcaps squads; Southee is a leader who has displayed this hunger for growth within Blackcaps.

This will be challenged against Australia as Southee averages 62.40 against Australia and 85.20avg in Australia for ODI bowling. Southee might not even play against Australia as Blackcaps can tinker with lads like Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry among a deep bating line up. Southee did play all three ODIs vs West Indies, taking 7w @ 15.42avg/4rpo and he wound up taking a wicket in every game (three T20Is included) of that Caribbean leg.

For what it's worth, Southee's three ODI games this year form his best year of ODI bowling ever. Southee has not averaged below 30 in a year of ODI bowling since 2011 and he has never averaged below 20 prior to this year. This is where what we know about Southee's career of bowling for Aotearoa steams into optimism that Southee can flourish with a splash of development late in his career.

Southee's workload has been juggled before, but he is the only Blackcaps bowler who has rolled through 300+ overs in this World Test Championship cycle. Southee has bowled 367.1ov and Kyle Jamieson is the only other lad who has bowled 200+ overs (239.4ov). Southee bowled the most deliveries for Aotearoa and the T20 World Cup last year and he bowled the most deliveries for Blackcaps in the ODI series vs West Indies. In spinning conditions, Southee bowled the same amount of overs as Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi (12ov) for the T20I series vs West Indies.

If Southee struggles to command ODI 1st 11 selection he will naturally manage his workload, however most signs suggest that Southee wants to bowl as much as possible for Aotearoa. There will be more opportunities for Southee moving forward and he has shown low key improvement, which could be a major boost for Blackcaps as they continue to build with high quality depth.

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