New Zealand batter Kane Williamson will miss the second Test against India because of a groin injury. He could not get fit in time after sitting out the first Test of their three-match series in Bengaluru, which New Zealand won.
Williamson has scored the most runs for New Zealand in Test matches, hurt his groin during a recent series against Sri Lanka, where his team lost 0-2.
He missed the first Test against India, in which New Zealand triumphed by eight wickets. Will Young took his place and batted at No.3 during that match.
New Zealand’s head coach Gary Stead gave an update on Williamson’s recovery. He said that Williamson is working hard to prepare for a comeback but is not fully ready to play Test cricket yet.
“We’re monitoring Kane, and he’s improving but isn’t 100% fit,” Stead explained.
Stead confirmed that the team is being careful with Williamson’s recovery. It’s uncertain if he will play in the third Test, but Stead is hopeful that Williamson will get better soon.
“We’re hoping to see more improvement in the next few days and that he’ll be ready for the third Test. We will give him as much time as he needs to recover, but we’ll stay cautious,” Stead added.
New Zealand was looking forward to Kane’s return in the second Test especially since India might prepare pitches that favor spin bowling after their surprising loss in Bengaluru. Williamson is well-known for his skill against spin and performed well during the recent series against Sri Lanka.
The 34-year-old made his Test debut in India in 2010 and scored a century in Ahmedabad. He has played Test matches in India three times, with his last game in Kanpur in 2021.
He missed the second Test of that tour due to an elbow injury, and Tom Latham led the team, which lost by 372 runs. Overall, Williamson has done reasonably well in India, scoring 503 runs in 15 innings at an average of 33.53.
