IND vs NZ | It's time for Tim Southee to step up a level, believes Dion Nash

The onset of Trent Boult in the horizon of New Zealand cricket shoved Tim Southee to the sidelines but the series against India seems the best way for Southee to redeem himself. With Boult sidelined with an arm injury, it will be Southee at the helm of the pace attack.

Former New Zealand skipper Dion Nash hailed the veteran pacer to take the lead of an inexperienced bowling line up against India. The absence of Boult and medium-pacer Lockie Ferguson - out due to calf injury - means that NZ has a largely inexperienced pace attack in Hamish Bennett, Scott Kuggeleijn and Blair Tickner.

"I think (it's time for) Southee to step up a level. He has played so much cricket and is such a valued player. We need him in the front to lead the group," Nash told TOI.

Nash predicted that the series will be a tussle between the batting prowess of the two sides but conceded that the side with a better bowling lineup will have the final say.

"A pace attack to be called 'sturdy' is like being called nice on a date! Pace attacks want to be called dangerous or nasty. So, if we have two sturdy attacks - to me - this means the bat will dominate. And maybe that will be the case. But generally speaking, I believe the side with the best bowling attack wins matches, so let's see who prevails," the Kiwi selector concluded.