New zealand cricket
Cricket: Nice to see a bat in Kane Williamson's hand, but not at level yet to play internationally, says Gary Stead
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said it is nice to see Kane Williamson back in the nets and facing deliveries with bat in hand on the road to recovery from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. At the same time, Stead added that Williamson’s batting and fitness levels are not right at the level to perform at the international level. Williamson had ruptured the ACL in his right knee while playing for Gujarat Titans in the opening match of IPL 2023 against Chennai Super Kings on March 31 in Ahmedabad.
"It's nice to see him with a bat in his hand and hitting the balls again, albeit it's not right at the level that he is to perform internationally. It's set certainly on the road to recovery, and its huge silver linings in injuries and how you look at them, and to keep saying, 'Hey, I am invested in this team, and I really want to keep playing for this team', is magic to hear," said Stead in a video released by New Zealand Cricket (NZC).
