Kane Won’t Play the Bangalore Test
According to ESPNcricinfo, New Zealand’s star cricketer Kane Williamson will not play the first test match against India in Bangalore. Reports suggest that Williamson has not fully recovered from the strain he suffered during the recent Sri Lanka series. The 34-year-old Williamson’s injury is a significant blow to the Kiwi team in the test series against India.
Williamson Suffers from Back Pain
Williamson suffered from back pain during the second test against Sri Lanka in Galle. After that, he had to extend his rehabilitation period at home before flying to India. New Zealand’s selector, Sam Wells, is hopeful that Williamson will be available for the latter part of the test series.
Kane’s Unavailability
Wells said that the advice we have received is that the best option for Kane is to rest and rehabilitate rather than risk further injury. We hope that if the rehabilitation plan goes according to schedule, Kane will be available for the latter part of the tour. Although it’s disappointing that Kane won’t be available for the start of the tour, it allows someone else to play a crucial role in the series.
New Zealand Team for India Tour
Tom Latham (Captain), Tom Blundell (Wicket Keeper), Michael Bracewell (only for the first test), Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ben Sears, Ish Sodhi (only for the second and third tests), Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young.