Kane Williamson Returns for New Zealand’s Test Series Against England
Wellington, New Zealand – November 15: Former captain Kane Williamson is back in New Zealand’s Test squad after recovering from a groin injury. The team announced their lineup for the three-match series against England, starting November 28 in Christchurch.
Williamson had been sidelined since September after an injury against Sri Lanka and missed the series in India, where New Zealand achieved a 3-0 victory. Tom Latham will continue as captain, with veteran bowler Tim Southee also in the squad. Southee plans to retire from Test cricket after the current World Test Championship campaign, possibly concluding with the third Test against England in Hamilton.
New Zealand aims for a clean sweep over England to improve their World Test Championship standings. Pacers Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson are absent due to injuries, while Mark Chapman makes way for Williamson. Spinners Ajaz Patel and Ish Sodhi are not included, but Mitchell Santner returns for the second and third Tests after recovering from a side strain. Nathan Smith joins the squad following impressive domestic performances.
New Zealand selector Sam Wells anticipates a challenging series against England, highlighting the significance of the World Test Championship and Tim Southee’s farewell. “Tim has had a fabulous career and will go down as one of the great Black Caps,” Wells stated.
Series Schedule
| Test | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| First Test | November 28 – December 2 | Hagley Oval, Christchurch |
| Second Test | December 6-10 | Basin Reserve, Wellington |
| Third Test | December 14-18 | Seddon Park, Hamilton |
New Zealand Squad
Tom Latham (c), Tom Blundell (wk), Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner (2nd & 3rd Tests), Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young.
Doubts Revealed
Kane Williamson -: Kane Williamson is a famous cricketer from New Zealand. He is known for being a very skilled batsman and has been the captain of the New Zealand cricket team.
Test Series -: A Test series in cricket is a set of matches played between two teams. Each match can last up to five days, and it’s considered the longest and most traditional form of cricket.
Groin Injury -: A groin injury is a type of injury that happens in the area where your leg meets your body. It can be painful and takes time to heal, especially for athletes.
Tom Latham -: Tom Latham is another cricketer from New Zealand. He is currently the captain of the New Zealand Test cricket team.
Tim Southee -: Tim Southee is a well-known New Zealand cricketer, famous for his fast bowling. He plans to retire after the World Test Championship campaign.
World Test Championship -: The World Test Championship is a tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) where teams compete in Test matches to become the world champions.
Clean Sweep -: A clean sweep in sports means winning all the matches in a series without losing any.
Ben Sears -: Ben Sears is a cricketer from New Zealand who is not playing in this series because he is injured.
Kyle Jamieson -: Kyle Jamieson is another New Zealand cricketer who is also missing the series due to injury.
Mitchell Santner -: Mitchell Santner is a New Zealand cricketer known for his all-round abilities, meaning he can both bat and bowl well.
Nathan Smith -: Nathan Smith is a cricketer who has been selected to join the New Zealand squad for the series against England.
Selector Sam Wells -: Sam Wells is a person responsible for choosing which players will be part of the New Zealand cricket team for the series.