Recovering Black Caps captain Kane Williamson has returned to the nets to face throwdowns in his race to be fit for the Cricket World Cup in India later this year.
The 32-year-old suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] in the Indian Premier League earlier this year and underwent surgery in early April, leading New Zealand Cricket to all but rule out the influential batsman for October's World Cup.
However Williamson has since vowed to do everything possible to recover in time and gave more hope to Kiwi fans last night with a short video on social media of him batting in the nets.
"Nice to be back in the nets with the bat in hand for a few throws," he said.
Williamson told 1News in June his rehabilitation involved physio sessions six days a week as well as all sorts of controlled movement exercise and time on the bike.
"There’s been some good progress and I’m putting in the time, but the steps are small and that’s what it’s about, taking those small steps forwards and minimising the backwards ones," Williamson said at the time.
New Zealand is likely to name its squad this month, meaning they would be taking a punt if they were to select Williamson.
In his favour is the length of the tournament – more than a month – which could give selectors an eye to naming him in the squad with the outside chance he would be available for the latter pool stages or the first knockout games, if New Zealand makes it that far.
“I haven’t thought too much about that," he said. "I don’t know what the rulings are around that from a squad perspective.
“But the focus for me is getting it right regardless of the tournaments that are ahead. It’s within any athlete's want to return as quickly as possible but not compromise the effort that goes in to make sure it’s strong and ready.”
Black Caps coach Gary Stead hinted also backed giving Williamson a shot at making 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 October tournament opener in Ahmedabad in a rematch of the 2019 final, which they lost on a now-scrapped boundary countback rule.
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