Kane Williamson (R) and Gary Stead. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Recovering Black Caps captain Kane Williamson returned to the nets on Tuesday to face throwdowns, keeping alive his faint hopes of playing the 50-over World Cup in India later this year.
The 32-year-old suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the Indian Premier League and underwent surgery in early April that made him doubtful for the World Cup, which starts in October.
Williamson posted on Instagram a clip of him batting in the nets with the caption: "Nice to be back in the nets with the bat in hand for a few throws."
Black Caps coach Gary Stead is among those who have not given up hopes of Williamson's participation in the showpiece event.
"Our line around Kane, at the moment, is still it's unlikely that he will be available, but we certainly don't want to rule out a person of his class and calibre, and the things he brings to this team, too early in case there is that chance still," Stead said in April.
Stead said Williamson, who guided the team to the final of the 2019 World Cup, is likely to travel to India even if in a mentor's capacity.
The Black Caps face England in the 5 Oct. tournament opener in Ahmedabad in a rematch of the 2019 final, which they lost on a now-scrapped boundary countback rule.
-Reuters