Kane Williamson OUT of Pune Test; massive update arrives on Mumbai Test

New Zealand star batter and former captain Kane Williamson has been ruled out of the upcoming second Test against India due to a groin injury. Williamson was unable to regain fitness for the match after missing the first Test of the three-match series in Bengaluru, where the visitors won the game.

Williamson, who is New Zealand’s all-time leading Test run-scorer, sustained a groin injury during the team's recent 0-2 series loss to Sri Lanka. He missed the first Test against India, where New Zealand secured an eight-wicket win. Will Young batted at No. 3 during Williamson’s absence in the first Test.

We're Monitoring Kane Williamson - New Zealand head coach

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead provided an update on Kane Williamson's recovery. Stead stated that Williamson is working hard to make his comeback but isn't yet fully fit to return to Test cricket.

“We're monitoring Kane and he's tracking in the right direction but isn't yet 100% fit,” said Stead.

The New Zealand head coach confirmed that the team will approach Kane Williamson's recovery cautiously. Williamson's participation in the third and final Test is uncertain. However, Stead remains optimistic about his chances, stating they are hopeful for improvement in the coming days.

“We're hopeful to see further improvement over the coming days and have him available for the third Test. We'll give him as much time as possible to get himself ready but certainly continue to take a cautious approach," Stead added.

New Zealand hoped for Kane's return in the second Test as India might prepare spin-friendly pitches following their unexpected loss in Bengaluru. Williamson is known for his strong ability against spin bowling and performed decently with the bat during the recent series against Sri Lanka.

Kane Williamson's Record in Test Matches on Indian Soil

The 34-year-old batter made his Test debut in India in 2010, where he scored a century in Ahmedabad. The right-handed batter has toured India three times for Test matches, with his last appearance in Kanpur in 2021.

He missed the second Test of that tour due to an elbow injury, and Tom Latham led the team, where New Zealand lost by 372 runs. Overall, Williamson has a decent record in India, scoring 503 runs in 15 innings at an average of 33.53.

New Zealand Becomes the Third Team to Beat India in the Last 15 Years

Kane Williamson's absence didn't impact the team's performance, as the team made history by defeating India at home for the first time in 36 years. They took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with Matt Henry and Will O'Rourke playing crucial roles in bowling India out for just 46 runs in the first innings.

Rachin Ravindra scored his first Test century in India. The Kiwis took a 356-run lead, but India made a comeback with knocks from Sarfaraz Khan (150), Rishabh Pant (99), and Virat Kohli (70) in their second innings. New Zealand became the third team, after England and Australia, to beat India in the last 15 years.

Also read: Tom Latham becomes 3rd NZ captain to win a Test in India as Rohit Sharma hits new low