The 25-year-old is pitching the ball up, looking for edges with the red ball, while fishing for wickets early in ODIs before opting for short-of-a-length containment with the white ball. That's a lot to process as a bowler.
Incumbent ODI player Kyle Mills could only do it for a short patch of his career; Doug Bracewell has struggled; and the selection panel has partitioned Trent Boult and Neil Wagner into tests and Mitchell McClenaghan and Adam Milne into limited-overs cricket to avoid a clash.
Southee has gone from promising tearaway - he is one of six Kiwis to get a five-wicket bag on test debut, against England in 2008 - to attacking stalwart. He can be expensive every now and again, especially in ODIs or T20Is, but he emits barely a whiff of fear against opposition batsmen.
Southee's rhythmic run-up hints wickets are imminent.
Added to that is an erratic talent with the bat, while he also possesses athletic ability in outfielding.
Few are better under the high ball, perhaps a throwback to his days as a blindside flanker with the Kings College first XV.
New Zealand coach Mike Hesson says Southee has matured as a cricketer in the last year after Chris Martin's exit.
However, he cites his second test in charge - against India at Bangalore in August 2012 - as Southee's coming of age.
Southee took seven for 64, the sixth-best figures by a New Zealand test bowler and the best in India. New Zealand lost but Southee gained respect, especially having been dropped earlier in the year after taking none for 140 against South Africa in Dunedin. He played one test in the interim against the West Indies in Kingston.
"He stepped up and offered the group something we didn't have," Hesson says.
"There's probably a perception he's the class clown in some quarters, which I think is unfair because he's got a good sense of humour. He's now an experienced guy who responds well to pressure. He drives the bowling unit."
Southee's recent test figures reinforce that. He took 18 wickets at 18.11 against the West Indies.
Shane Bond's arrival as bowling coach also appears to have helped. Southee has taken 48 wickets at 22.16 in 10 tests compared to 53 at 39.54 in 19 tests pre-Bond; his ODI average is up slightly from 31.09 to 32.50.
"Tim is leader of the attack," Bond said recently.
"But I'm pushing him in areas like bowling better with the old ball. His use of the new ball in tests is outstanding."APN News & Media
