England's Bowling Consultant Tim Southee Unsure on Ashes Participation
Tim Southee's most recent Test match for New Zealand was against the English side in December 2024.
England fast-bowling advisor Southee is currently evaluating the extent of his role will be at the upcoming Ashes contest in Australia.
The former Kiwi seamer is only likely to be present for the opening match because of his participation in the ILT20 competition, which begins on December 2 in the United Arab Emirates.
The 36-year-old, aged 36, took up a role as England's pace bowling advisor in the summer after claiming 391 wickets in 107 Tests for New Zealand.
Commenting as the English squad for the opening of three Twenty20 games against New Zealand was announced, Southee stated of his participation: "We're still working through the situation at the present time.
"We'll see the outcome over the next little while."
England pace icon Stuart Broad had declared the Australia team as their "weakest squad since 2010", but the consultant was in no uncertainty over what to expect during the series, which starts on 21 November.
"In my view there's at any time a bad Aussie side," Southee remarked.
"The team's attention is squarely on our own objectives. In my opinion the quality of [the English] team that's going out to Australia is excellent.
"It should be an absolute cracker, the Ashes. Not only [are|do] fans from both nations looking forward to it, I think the whole cricket world is."
But, prior to England travel to Perth for the first Ashes match, they face the Kiwis in the city of Christchurch on this Saturday.
England XI v the Kiwis:
Salt
Jos Buttler
Bethell
Harry Brook (c)
Banton
Sam Curran
Jordan Cox
Carse
Dawson
Adil Rashid
Luke Wood