Kane Williamson is all set to miss the upcoming India vs New Zealand 3rd Test 2024. The veteran Kiwi batsman will not travel to Mumbai for the 3rd Test with the squad. India vs New Zealand 3rd Test starts on 1st November.
Notably, the former New Zealand captain was part of the squad for the first two Tests against India. However, due to injury, he remained on the reserve in both games. Williamson suffered a groin injury in the previous Test series against Sri Lanka.
Kane Williamson played in both Tests against Sri Lanka in the previous Test series. He scored 138 runs in 4 innings with 1 half century.
Kane Williamson will miss IND vs NZ 3rd Test to ensure his eligibility for England Tests
Kane Williamson will miss the IND vs NZ 3rd Test to be ready to play in the upcoming Test series against England. The BlackCaps will face England at home in a three-match Test series.
The series will begin on November 28 with the opening game in Christchurch. The third and final leg will be played at Seddon Park in Hamilton from December 14 to 18.
With the win in the ongoing Test series against India, New Zealand changed the script of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 ​​final. They are now strong contenders to reach the finals among several other teams.
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New Zealand are ranked 4th in the ICC World Test Championship points table
New Zealand are ranked 4th in the ICC World Test Championship points table with a win percentage of 50.0. They are followed by India (62.82), Australia (62.50) and Sri Lanka (55.55).
South Africa and Pakistan are the other two teams going to the final. England, Bangladesh and West Indies are out of the race for the WTC final. So, beating England at home will improve New Zealand’s chances of reaching the final.
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New Zealand outplayed India by huge margins in the first two Tests
Meanwhile, New Zealand have been in fine form against India in the first two Tests despite being short of Kane Williamson. The visitors won both their opening games to hand India their first Test series defeat at home since 2012.
Led by Tom Latham, the Kiwis won the 1st Test by 8 wickets and the 2nd Test by 113 runs. In both the games, the Blackcaps outclassed India in both the batting and bowling departments. It should be noted that despite a good start by the bowlers in the 1st innings, the Indian batsmen completely struggled in the 2nd Test in Pune.
IND vs NZ 3rd Test will be a dead-rubber clash for both sides as the visitors have already clinched the series. However, a win will help both teams improve their winning percentage in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 ​​points table.