With plenty of first-team players deciding against signing a central contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) to make themselves available for franchise-based leagues worldwide, Southee feels 'something' needs to be done to bring in balance and help players take a call based on their preferences. Key players like former all-format captain Kane Williamson and speedsters Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Adam Milne have opted out of the central contract list offered by NZC in recent years. Moreover, attacking opener Finn Allen, who signed a two-year deal with Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, and Devon Conway, who signed a casual contract with NZC, are the latest to join the list. Though Conway will remain available for all nine Tests this season, he will miss the white-ball competitions in January 2025, like Williamson, to feature in the SA20 tournament.   "Yeah, I think that's decisions that each individual board are taking into account," Southee said on the sidelines of the CEAT cricket rating awards in Mumbai. "So, at this stage, obviously, the franchise leagues and the franchise world are growing. It would be nice to see the international [boards] and the leagues working together in some way because, especially Test cricket, I think for a lot of players, is still the pinnacle of the format. "I guess it's the way that cricket is going and then the amount of T20 leagues that are popping up. To look at it from Kane and Devon's point of view, they're still committed to New Zealand cricket, and we've got nine Test matches coming up. So, they're committed to those Test matches," he continued. A problem in the hindsight Although all these players not signing a central contract with NZC is not the biggest problem within their cricket structure as of now, Southee doesn't discount the chances of it creating havoc in times to come. Committing to Test cricket, a format he calls his favourite and 'closest to the heart', Southee admits he doesn't have answers to how one solution can solve this growing issue within the cricket circuit worldwide. "I don't have the answers. Right now, I don't think many people do. So I think it's about working out what's best for each individual board and their players. New Zealand Cricket seems to think that's the best way for the next 12 months. "I don't think Kane and Devon will miss a lot of cricket for New Zealand. So for them to have the flexibility in doing that, but still also be committed to New Zealand, which I think that's where the casual playing agreement comes in," the NZ Test skipper said. Meanwhile, New Zealand will travel to Asia to play six Tests - one against Afghanistan in India, two against Sri Lanka and then three against India. Upon returning home, New Zealand will host England for the three Tests.