A long break without a test match is about to come to an end for the New Zealand Black Caps led by Tim Southee.
The two-Test series against Sri Lanka starting in Galle is followed by a three-Test tour of India in October and November, before they return home to host England in November and December for three more Tests.
All eight of games will encompass the remainder of their World Test Championship cycle, with New Zealand will likely needing to win at least five of them to be in with a chance of making the final at Lord's.
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"We've had a bit of a break from Test cricket since the end of our home summer and now we've got an important part in terms of the Test championship cycle," said Southee.
"We've got eight games between now and December, so it's an exciting times for us as a Test side and tough times ahead of us - here in Sri Lanka obviously, India in India and then England at home.
"It was disappointing [not to play against Afghanistan] but we still spent a week [in India] which we got some positives out of. We got some training in, some great training here. We spent some time together as a Test side - been a while since we've been together - so to have that time, and bonding over that time in India was important as well."
The Black Caps have a strong mixture of players rather than specialist. While Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel offer frontline spin options, the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell offer further options. Then, alongside Southee, the likes of Matt Henry, Ben Sears and Will O'Rourke all offer variety in seam.
"I think historically here, Galle in particular, spin has played a pretty big part," Southee said. "But as pace bowlers if you can come here and do well, that's a tough challenge but a very rewarding challenge.
On a personal note Southee, is close to a historic milestone. He's currently on 380 wickets, he's just 20 strikes away from becoming the 18th player to 400 Test wickets, and the second from New Zealand to the feat after Sir Richard Hadlee.
"I guess over time, when you play for a long period, you're able to I guess come close to those, but still being 20 wickets away is a lot of tours, especially in this part of the world. But yeah, every game you're going out and trying to do your role and take some wickets for your side and it'd be nice if you do achieve those milestones along the way."