Kane Williamson will miss the second Test between India and New Zealand, starting in Pune on October 24, as he continues to recover from a groin strain. The New Zealand captain did not travel with the squad to India after sustaining the injury during the recent tour of Sri Lanka. He will remain at home to focus on his rehabilitation.
In Williamson’s absence, Will Young filled the No. 3 spot in the batting order during the first Test in Bengaluru, where he scored 33 runs in the first innings and remained unbeaten with 48 in the second.
New Zealand coach Gary Stead updated fans on Williamson’s recovery, saying, “We’re monitoring Kane, and he’s tracking in the right direction, but isn’t yet 100% fit.” Stead expressed hope that Williamson would show further improvement in the coming days and could be available for the third Test. “We’ll give him as much time as possible to get himself ready but will continue to take a cautious approach.”
New Zealand leads the three-Test series 1-0 after winning the first Test by eight wickets. Rachin Ravindra earned the Player of the Match award for scoring a century in the first innings and an unbeaten 39 in the chase. Additionally, Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke contributed significantly with the ball, taking eight and seven wickets, respectively.
The New Zealand team arrived in Pune on Monday evening and will hold their first practice session in the city on Tuesday to prepare for the upcoming match without their captain.
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