Tim Southee is being considered by England as a bowling consultant after James Anderson’s Lancashire contract was extended.

With a five-match Test series against India and a one-off Test against Zimbabwe among the series to look forward to, the England side will have a full schedule during the forthcoming home Test season. The Three Lions, who have struggled in Test cricket for the past two seasons, will also face a significant test in this match.

The England squad has not been in the running to reach the finals of the World Test Championship because of their poor performance thus far.

In the 2023–25 WTC cycle, the Three Lions came in fifth place. After retiring from international cricket, James Anderson joined the team as a bowling consultant, but the team will miss his help. However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has begun searching for a replacement player because of his contract renewal with Lancashire, whom he will play for during the domestic season.

The first WTC champion and recently retired New Zealand icon Tim Southee is reportedly one of the people the board appears to be interested in. One of the things that can make the ECB favour the 36-year-old speedster is the fact that he has been close pals with current England head coach Brendon McCullum.

Along with McCullum and spin bowling consultant/assistant coach Jeetan Patel, Southee may become the third Kiwi member of the coaching staff and management if this move is successful. He might start for the English team as early as the series against India.

When it comes to Southee’s record in Test cricket, he has taken 391 wickets at an average of 30.26 in the 107 Test matches he has played for the New Zealand squad. In red-ball internationals, he also ranks as the Kiwis’ second-highest wicket-taker. With 776 wickets in 394 games, Southee leads all New Zealand wicket-takers in all forms.