ICC World Cup 2019 | New Zealand need to include Tim Southee, states Brendon McCullum

ICC World Cup 2019 | New Zealand need to include Tim Southee, states Brendon McCullum

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Former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum believes that the kiwis need to include Tim Southee in the team so as to bring more experience and confidence to the team. McCullum also added that New Zealand have lacked a bit of a 'swagger', and need to express themselves more often.

After five wins in their first six matches of this World Cup, the Kiwis have hit a roadblock, losing their last two games against Pakistan and Australia respectively. While they made a couple of changes in their last game drafting Henry Nicholls and Ish Sodhi into the side, former skipper Brendon McCullum believes that the Kiwis need to bring in paceman Tim Southee, who is the fifth highest wicket-taker in ODIs for New Zealand with 185 scalps to his name.

"They need to include (quick bowler) Tim Southee, who is a big player from a leadership point of view, and someone who brings confidence to the environment. I would love to see that come out, for them to take on games a little more than they have been," McCullum told Daily Mail. 

McCullum also believes that the New Zealand side currently lack a bit of a swagger, playing within themselves most of the time, and believes they need to express themselves and have the players who can do that. 

"New Zealand are close to where they need to be but they’re playing with a sense of humility when they need to rediscover their panache. They’re lacking a bit of swagger. There’s plenty of people in that line-up capable of playing with swagger," he said. 

"If they’re serious about going deep in this tournament, they need to free themselves up and England could be the perfect opposition for that to happen. It may just remind them how they play their best cricket, because they will be faced with a team with an expressive gameplan," he added. 

The former Kiwi skipper also struck comparisons between the two teams, describing how the calm influence of Joe Root and Kane Williamson allow batsmen around them to express themselves. "England and New Zealand are similar teams. There are different pockets of power in both and it’s about how you use that power — whether, when you have the game in the grasp of your hand, you are able to reinforce it," McCullum said. 

"If you go through the personnel, the more aggressive style suits both. There are a couple of players — Joe Root and Kane Williamson — who lock in to allow the aggression of other guys to come out, but they are also at their best when they have freewheeling players around them,".

Despite being a Kiwi, McCullum said that he won't be disappointed with either outcome. "I am really excited for this match. I will be barracking for New Zealand but if they play at top-class and England are good enough to stand up to them and perform, then I’ll be OK with that too." the former New Zealand skipper concluded.

The two sides will meet each other at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday, in what will be a do-or-die match for both the teams. 

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