Blackcaps captain Southee unfazed by lack of preparation against battle-hardened Sri Lanka

After being cooped up for five days awaiting what seemed an inevitability against Afghanistan, the Blackcaps are understandably itching to get out under the sun and onto the pitch and finally begin their subcontinent tour in earnest in the opening Test against Sri Lanka, starting Wednesday.

Captain Tim Southee and his troops could only watch on as the debacle unfolded in Noida, where drainage issues, rain, and a crater at midwicket combined to see the match abandoned without a ball being bowled.

But despite the lack of cricket, Southee insists the players used their wealth of spare time wisely, taking the opportunity to galvanise as a squad before a heavy dose of Test cricket to come.

"We're naturally disappointed not to be able to get out and into some cricket but we spent plenty of time together as a team," Southee told SENZ’s Scotty & Izzy.

"We lived out of each other's pockets and grew tighter as a side, after a week where we were pretty much forced to stay indoors. As far as team bonding goes, it was quite nice to have that time together.

"Got to Sri Lanka and we've had some great trainings. Weather's been good so we're just looking forward to getting out there and playing some cricket."

After plenty of cards and hallway cricket in Noida, the Blackcaps are itching to put their preparations to the Test against the hosts in Galle.

In stark contrast to the Blackcaps, Sri Lanka are match hardened after a difficult Test tour to England, but one which ended on a hugely positive note with an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the third and final contest.

Southee acknowledges the Sri Lankans will have some momentum returning to their favoured home conditions, but he's confident his group are primed and ready to compete.

"The way they finished the series over there they'll have plenty of confidence to take from that after a tough couple of games to start that series," Southee told co-host Scotty Stevenson.

"To be able to bounce back and win at The Oval was a great effort from them. They've come back to Sri Lanka where they're obviously done well in familiar conditions."

Listen to the full interview below: