Xtra Time Web Desk: Former BlackCaps captain Kane Williamson is likely to be seen in a new role with the New Zealand cricket team when they travel to India for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Williamson is unlikely to recover from the injury he suffered during the first match of IPL 2023.
He injured himself while attempting to stop a six at the boundary in the IPL 2023 opener against Chennai Super Kings at Narendra Modi Stadium. He jumped high and landed awkwardly, injuring his knee. Such was the severity of the injury that he had to be carried out of the field.
Rehabilitating after an anterior cruciate ligament surgery can be a lengthy process, and it’s important that Williamson takes the necessary time to fully recover. New Zealand Cricket is mulling the idea of sending him with the team to India as a mentor as he can share his expertise from the side-lines.
“It’s still far too early to know. He’s had the operation and, to date, what we know, that’s been successful. So he is in the very, very early stages of his rehab programme,” BlackCaps Head Coach Gary Stead told reporters ahead of New Zealand’s five-match ODI series against Pakistan.
“It’s obviously pretty non-weight-bearing at this stage, and he’s in a brace. It’s really just meeting milestones as we go.” The injury has been all but ruled out the Black Caps skipper from the 50-over tournament, starting in October as the expected recovery time of an ACL rupture is nine months.
New Zealand ended runners up in the last two 50-over World Cup. Under Williamson’s captaincy, the Black Caps lost the last edition of the 50-over World Cup in 2019 on boundary count to hosts England.