England's Coach Tim Southee Unsure on Ashes Participation
Tim Southee's most recent Test match for New Zealand was against England in the final month of 2024.
England's bowling consultant Southee is still working through the extent of his role will be during the upcoming Ashes contest in the host nation.
The ex- New Zealand seamer is expected to be available for the opening match due to his involvement in the ILT20 tournament, which begins on December 2 in the UAE.
The 36-year-old, 36, assumed a role as England's pace bowling advisor in the warmer months after claiming 391 scalps in 107 Tests for the Kiwis.
Speaking as England's team for the first of three T20 matches against New Zealand was named, he said of his availability: "We're still working through the situation at the moment.
"We'll see the outcome over the next little while."
England bowling legend Stuart Broad had declared the Australian team as their "weakest squad since 2010", but Southee was in no uncertainty over the anticipated challenge during the series, which starts on 21 November.
"In my view there's ever a poor Australian cricket team," Southee remarked.
"Our focus is squarely on what we're trying to do. I think the caliber of [the English] team that's going out to the host country is excellent.
"It ought to be an absolute cracker, the Ashes. Not just [are|do] fans from both nations looking forward to it, I think the entire cricketing community is."
However, before the English team travel to the city of Perth for the first Ashes match, they face New Zealand in the city of Christchurch on this Saturday.
England's Playing XI v New Zealand:
Salt
Buttler
Bethell
Brook (captain)
Tom Banton
Curran
Jordan Cox
Brydon Carse
Liam Dawson
Rashid
Luke Wood
