Less than six months after knee surgery threatened to rule him out of next month’s ODI World Cup, New Zealand captain India’s goal was the main driving force in guiding Kane Williamson through his recovery. The 33-year-old tore the cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing for Indian Premier League side Gujarat Titans in April, which appeared to have dented his chances of making it to the showpiece. However, intensive rehabilitation work led to a speedy recovery.
Williamson will hope to be ready for the Black Caps’ opening match against defending champions England on October 5, a repeat of the 2019 final which his side narrowly lost.
“It would be great. Of course you want to play again as soon as possible when you are fit and ready,” he said.
“You hope that will be around that World Cup time, but I’m still very focused on the day-to-day rehabilitation and don’t want those targets to stretch to the point where you take a step back.”
Williamson is already busy hitting the net, which the injured knee can handle.
“For running it is not quite 100 percent yet, but good progress is being made,” he added.
Black Caps coach Gary Stead said there is no set date for when Williamson will play again.
But his return will be a big boost. He was player of the 2019 tournament with centuries against South Africa and West Indies and led New Zealand to the eve of lifting the trophy.
‘Small steps forward’ – Williamson, who has more than 6,500 runs to his name in ODI cricket, is desperate to compete in a fourth World Cup, admitting the prospect “keeps you in the gym every day and working hard “.
“It’s really nice to see the progress and keep taking those little steps forward,” he added.
While New Zealand has warmed up for the World Cup with tours of England and Bangladesh, Williamson’s injury has curtailed his preparations.
But he’s not too worried.
“Of course it’s not ideal, but it hasn’t affected me too much. It’s the only option I have in front of me and the prospect of playing another World Cup is really exciting,” he said. .
“It’s something you always want to be a part of, but I didn’t want that to dictate my rehabilitation. At the same time, it’s helpful to have a carrot in the back of your mind.”
Despite a burning desire to play, the New Zealand captain said he would have no problem withdrawing from the squad if the injury flared up.
“I only want to be there if I can add some value and I’m fit and ready to go,” he said.
Williamson already knows he will have to spend time on the sidelines after returning last year after a lengthy spell with an elbow injury.
“Working through injuries is part of the job, so being ready for the future is the goal,” he said.
(This story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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