New Zealand’s cricket fraternity is closely monitoring the fitness progress of captain Kane Williamson, who has been given a crucial two-week timeframe to demonstrate his readiness for the upcoming one-day World Cup, scheduled to kick off in October. This announcement came from head coach Gary Stead on Monday.

Williamson suffered a setback when he tore the cruciate ligaments in his right knee during his stint with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League in April. Despite the setback, the 33-year-old batsman has made significant strides in his recovery, even resuming batting practice in the nets. As a result, his inclusion in New Zealand’s 15-man World Cup squad is on the horizon.

Stead addressed the matter during interactions with New Zealand media, explaining, “We’ve got about two weeks from now until we name that side. We’re going to give him every chance to use that full amount of time. He’s in full rehab mode, he’s back batting in the nets again, which is great to see. He’s progressing really well, but there’s a lot of work for him still to do to make sure he gets where we need him to be.”

Having amassed over 6,500 runs in one-day international cricket and led New Zealand to a dramatic encounter against England in the 2019 World Cup final, Williamson’s prowess is undoubted. However, Stead stressed the balance between immediate tournament needs and the captain’s enduring career, saying, “Of course we want him at the World Cup, but there is that bigger picture that we want Kane Williamson fit for the rest of his career. There will be honest conversations that Kane and I will have around exactly where he is at.”

New Zealand is slated to face England in their opening World Cup match in Ahmedabad on October 5. As a part of his bid to return to full strength, Williamson is accompanying the squad on their white-ball tour of England.