Kane Williamson is such a valuable commodity in all forms of the game that New Zealand will consider naming him in their squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India even if he misses out on a few games while recovering from a knee injury.
Williamson will link up with the New Zealand team in the white-ball tour of England prior to the 50-over World Cup to continue a closely-monitored recuperation from the ruptured right knee ACL he sustained in the opening game of the IPL 2023 season on March 31.
With less than two months remaining for the World Cup, coach Gary Stead said that the New Zealand selectors will give Williamson every chance to prove his fitness.
“Kane’s working on a day-by-day, week-by-week process and we’ve been clear and careful with him that we don’t look too far ahead,” Stead said. “He’s progressed as we’ve hoped and possibly even better in some cases.
“But ACL injuries can be difficult, they’re different for every person. We’ll get the medical experts around Kane as much as we can to help us make that decision in three weeks.
As per the ICC rules, the squads for the World Cup 2023 must be finalised prior to September 28.
Stead said Williamson’s inclusion even if he had to miss matches is “something we are talking about.
“If it’s the knockout stages then that might be too late as that’s something that you may not even be there, but if it was earlier in the World Cup we’d definitely be considering it.”
Williamson recently shared a video on social media, in which he can be seen taking throw-downs in the nets.
“He’s not facing bowlers yet but he’s basically doing everything else,” Stead said. “With the knee, we’re just being careful with how that twists.
“We couldn’t have asked for more from him in that space. It’s encouraging to see where he’s at and how he’s going but that doesn’t promise that he’ll be part of this World Cup squad just yet.”
New Zealand ODI squad versus England:
Tom Latham (c), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Will Young
(With AP Inputs)
