England vs New Zealand 2026 2nd Test: One of the finest-ever batters to come out of New Zealand – Kane Williamson announced his retirement from international cricket after a long and illustrious career stretching back almost 16 years. Williamson, who made his international debut in ODI cricket in August 2010, drew curtains on a glittering career on Friday ahead of next week’s second Test vs England at the Oval starting on Wednesday.
Williamson played his 110th and final Test of his career at Lord’s against England last week, ending up with scores of 0 and 18. Like another member of the ‘Fab Four’ which included Virat Kohli, Steve Smith and Joe Root apart from Williamson, the Black Caps batter ended just short of landmark 10,000 Test runs. The former Kiwi captain ends with 9,515 runs in 110 Tests at an average of 54.06 with 33 hundreds and 38 fifties.
In addition to this, he also managed to score 7256 runs in 175 ODI matches with 15 hundreds and 47 fifties at an average of 48.69 and also scored 2575 runs in T20I cricket in 93 games with 18 fifties. The 35-year-old finishes as New Zealand’s all-time leading international run-scorer with 19,346 runs, including 48 centuries and six double-centuries.
Alongside his world class numbers, Williamson’s captaincy and leadership style was much admired, as he led the Black Caps in all three formats during a golden period from 2016-2024, where they made two ICC World Cup Finals, three semi-finals and won the inaugural ICC World Test Championship in 2021.
“I’ve thought about it for a while, but over the last few days it’s become clear now is the right time. I’ve always felt a strong drive and hunger for international cricket, and I take pride in knowing I’ve given it my all in every match I’ve played for New Zealand,” Williamson said in a statement issued by New Zealand Cricket (NZC) on Friday.
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“Continuing with anything less wouldn’t be right and I feel fortunate to step away on my own terms. I leave feeling optimistic about where this group is heading. There’s a huge amount of talent, and a real desire to do something special with this New Zealand team.
“It’s a team I love, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been part of it for so long. It will continue to be dear to my heart,” Williamson added.
The New Zealand coach Rob Walter said he had nothing but respect and admiration for Williamson. “Anyone who’s had the privilege of working with Kane understands he is a very special player and person. Although it’s been short-lived, it’s been a real privilege to watch him go about his work and listen to his thoughts and views on the team and the game itself.
“His numbers and batting skills speak for themselves, but it’s what he means to this BLACKCAPS team, as well as world cricket – that will be his legacy. His impact on the culture and standards of this team will remain embedded in its DNA. Kane’s always put the team first and although we’re disappointed to see him go, we’re happy to know he’s content and at peace with his decision,” Walter added.
Williamson was named the ICC Cricketer of 2015 and Test player of 2019, while also winning the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal on a record four occasions. Kiwi legend Hadlee reserved special praise for Williamson.
“Kane’s been a wonderful player and has been a fine leader,” he said. “He’s demonstrated a willingness to continually advance his game to the highest level in all three formats and he rightfully finishes as one of the best players of his era. The way he prepared himself physically and mentally was perhaps the most impressive part. He was always committed to working hard and developing his technique to ensure he was ready to be a world class player.”
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Devadyuti Das is a senior sports editor with two decades of expertise in the media landscape. Based in New Delhi, Devadyuti has been a fixture in sports reporting since 2005, specializing in Internati … Read More
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