By Ian Omoro
The three-match Test series between India and New Zealand, which is scheduled to begin on October 16, may not feature ace batter and former captain Kane Williamson of New Zealand. The Kiwis will go to India to play a series of three matches. The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru will host the first game of the series, while Pune (October 24-28) and Mumbai (November 1-5) will host the next two games.
Williamson sustained the injury during last month’s series loss in Sri Lanka; therefore, he will postpone his trip to India while he receives more medical attention. Selector Sam Wells expressed his “hopefulness” that the 34-year-old former captain will make a comeback later in the series, despite the fact that he is unlikely to feature in the opening Test in Bengaluru on October 16.
“The advice we’ve received is that the best course of action is for Kane to rest and rehabilitate now rather than risk aggravating the injury. We’re hopeful that if the rehabilitation goes to plan, Kane will be available for the latter part of the tour,” Wells said in a statement.
“While it’s obviously disappointing to not have Kane available from the start of the tour, it provides an opportunity for someone else to play a role in an important series,” he added.
As a replacement for Williamson, who leads New Zealand in Test run-scoring with 8881 runs from 102 matches at an average of 54.48, uncapped batsman Mark Chapman has been added to the 16-man roster. In first-class cricket, Chapman averages 41.9 and has also represented Hong Kong. In 2020, he scored 114 runs while playing for New Zealand A at Bert Sutcliffe Oval versus India A.
Wells asserts that Chapman, a 30-year-old left-handed batsman, possesses the necessary skill set for playing Test cricket in the subcontinent.
“We believe Mark is one of our best players of spin and has a proven track record in the subcontinent,” Wells said.
