3 Reasons Why Kane Williamson Won't Be Missed By New Zealand In India Series

Williamson ruled out of first Test Vs IND [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.Com] Williamson ruled out of first Test Vs IND [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.Com]

Even before the Test series has started, the New Zealand side have been jolted with the massive injury news of star batter, Kane Williamson. The former Kiwi skipper is recovering from a groin strain, which he suffered during the Sri Lanka tour, and is likely to miss the first Test Vs India.

Williamson, is arguably the greatest player from New Zealand, but over the years, his home performances have overshadowed his overseas performances. Though, Williamson is a brilliant player and has played some scintillating innings in Test cricket, however, he still won't be a major miss for the Kiwi side, who will look to inflict a defeat to the Indian side.

Here are 3 key reasons as to why Williamson won't be missed by the New Zealand side for the series opener.

3) Poor away record in Tests

As good a Test batter as Williamson is, the Kiwi star has had a poor away Test record. While he is almost invincible at his home grounds, Williamson tends to struggle away from home and doesn't have the same impact that he produces in home pitches.

In 49 home Test matches, Williamson has accumulated 4747 runs, at an average of 66.85. However, the numbers drastically change away from home. In away Tests, he has 3386 runs, and the average goes down to 41.80. In India, he averages 33.53 in 8 Tests, showcasing his vulnerabilities.

2) Recent injuries, not a good sign for Williamson

In recent years, Williamson has constantly suffered with injuries, which has hampered his international career. During the IPL 2024 opening game, he suffered from an ACL injury, which kept him out for almost 9 months.

Since then, he hasn't been the same player. During the 2023 World Cup game against Bangladesh, he was forced to retire after fracturing his thumb, and now another groin injury has ruined his chance to play an important role in the series. Keeping in mind his recent injury track-record, New Zealand can now focus on elsewhere and build a team for the future. Hence, they can try out a youngster in his place for the India tour.

1) NZ have plethora of options in Williamson's absence

In the last two-years, New Zealand have played plenty of matches without Williamson, and they have built a strong core without him. If Williamson is not there, the Kiwis have newcomer Rachin Ravindra to deliver, plus they have Devon Conway, Tom Latham, even the likes of Glenn Phillips has done really well in Test cricket as of late.

This is a hallmrak of a great team, as they have not allowed Williamson's absence to hurt their combination. Obviously, having Williamson is a big plus for any side, but the Kiwis have plethora of options to replace the former skipper in the Test team. They have selected Mark Chapman in the squad, and even he can be a good Williamson replacement.