"Very Confident": New Zealand coach Gary Stead expects Kane Williamson to return for first Test against England

New Zealand coach Gary Stead is "very confident" that Kane Williamson will be fit for the first Test of their home summer against England, set to take place at Hagley Oval in Christchurch from November 28 to December 2. According to ESPNcricinfo, the New Zealand team management decided against rushing Williamson back for the Mumbai Test, starting this Friday, opting for a cautious approach to his rehabilitation. Williamson sustained a groin injury during the tour of Sri Lanka last month, just before the start of the three-match Test series in India.

"Yeah, very confident," Stead said of Williamson's availability for the first Test against England, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"At a push, we could have got him over here [in India] immediately, but given the travel factor and the need for proper recovery, we didn't feel it was worth the risk. We're happy with having him ready, and very, very confident he'll be fit for that first Test versus England," he added.

Despite Williamson's absence for the entire Test series in India, New Zealand managed to secure their first-ever Test series win in the country. Will Young, stepping in at Williamson's No. 3 spot, successfully countered bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and R Ashwin in the challenging conditions of Bengaluru and Pune.

"Look, it's always disappointing when he's not here with us," Stead said of Williamson, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. "He's New Zealand's greatest Test run-scorer for a reason, and any side looks stronger with Kane. But the guys have done really well."

"We've adapted well in his absence. The best thing for Kane is to get himself fully fit for England, and we're certainly looking forward to his return and the impact he'll bring to the Test series," Stead added.

Following the Pune Test, New Zealand made history by clinching their first-ever Test series win in India, leading the series 2-0 and now aiming for a clean sweep. India, on the other hand, will look to end the series positively.

In the match,  New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat. Half-centuries from Devon Conway (76 off 141 balls, with 11 fours) and Rachin Ravindra (65 off 105 balls, with five fours and a six) put the Kiwis in a strong position at 197/3, with Ravichandran Ashwin (3/41) the only early threat. After Conway's dismissal, Washington Sundar (7/59) ran through the rest of the lineup, bowling New Zealand out for 259.

India then set out to surpass this modest total but struggled after skipper Rohit Sharma fell for a duck. Shubman Gill (30 off 72 balls, with two fours and a six) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (30 off 60 balls, with four boundaries) attempted to stabilise with a 49-run partnership. Gill's dismissal triggered a collapse, with Mitchell Santner (7/53) and Glenn Phillips (2/26) dismantling the Indian batting on home turf, restricting them to 156 runs. Ravindra Jadeja top-scored with 38 off 46 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes.

In their second innings, New Zealand extended their lead with a commanding performance. Skipper Tom Latham scored 86 off 133 balls, with 10 fours, supported by Phillips (48 off 82 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Tom Blundell (41 off 83 balls, with three fours), stretching their 103-run first-innings lead to a formidable 358, eventually being bowled out for 255. Sundar (4/56) again led the bowling, while Jadeja (3/72) and Ashwin (2/97) cleaned up the lower order and tail.

Chasing 359, India started well with a solid 62-run opening stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill (23 off 31 balls, with four boundaries). However, after Jaiswal's dismissal for 77 off 65 balls, featuring nine fours and three sixes, India's innings crumbled against the Kiwi spinners, eventually being bowled out for 245, losing the Test by 113 runs. This defeat marked India's first home series loss in 12 years. Santner (6/104) was the star with the ball, claiming 13 wickets in the match, with support from Phillips and Ajaz Patel to wrap up the Test two days early. (ANI)