Kane Williamson eyes England test series as next Black Caps appearance
Sunday, 15 March 2026
What: T20Is, New Zealand vs South Africa, women’s and men’s double-header. Where: Bay Oval, Mt Maunganui. When: From 2:45pm Sunday, live coverage on TVNZ +, TVNZ 1.
Kane Williamson wasn’t part of the Black Caps at the T20 World Cup, but appears set to be in the test side to meet England.
Williamson told The Post that he’s aiming towards the three-test series in England in June for New Zealand to maintain a challenge for the World Test Championship.
“The England test series is definitely on the radar,” Williamson said ahead of the string of double-header T20I matches between the NZ men’s and women’s teams versus South Africa.
The Black Caps will play five T20Is against the Proteas, as will the White Ferns, who will also play three following ODIs.
Williamson will head to India shortly to work as Strategic Advisor for the Lucknow Super Giants franchise in this year’s Indian Premier League competition, and is hoping to do some preparation work on his batting while there.
The country’s best batter in test history retired from the T20I arena late last year, but gave fans some hope he’ll continue to play the major matches in the other two international formats for another two years.
In an interview provided by New Zealand Cricket earlier this season, the 35-year old said he wasn’t looking too far ahead.
“[At the] back of my mind, there's probably the ODI World Cup (in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in October and November 2027),” Williamson said.
“There's always other things. Test cricket is pretty dear to me as well.”
“Really, it's a little bit about what I want, and little bit more about what the team wants and where it's going and what we're sort of buying into and just keeping those lines of communication open to make sure that we're nice and focused and clear on what it looks like, but also being really respectful of the fact that this is a team in a special place and they're always trying to build towards something, so for me, in this phase of my career, if I'm there and able to add to it, brilliant.”
Williamson had a relatively quiet series at home versus the West Indies in December, while still averaging 46.25.
There are also mouth-watering test series to follow - at home against India in November and across the Tasman versus Australia in December and January.
Williamson has played 108 tests to sit fourth on the all-time list for New Zealand behind Ross Taylor (112), Daniel Vettori and Stephen Fleming (111).
He’s closing in on 10,000 test runs, needing another 539 to reach that landmark, and with 33 centuries he’s tied for the 12th in history and could climb into the top seven over the next two years - England’s Joe Root (41 tons) and Australia’s Steve Smith (37) the only two active test batters above him.
The Black Caps will play three ODIs and three T20 matches against Bangladesh in April/May, before playing a test against Ireland ahead of the three-test series against England starting in June, with Williamson unlikely to feature against Ireland.
Pace bowler Will O’Rourke would be a welcome addition to the test squad to tour England also, if ready.
O’Rourke suffered a lower-back stress fracture in the first game of the two-test series against Zimbabwe last winter and is finally set to return to action later this month, chief selector Gavin Larsen said on Wednesday.
“So, we are taking a long term plan with Will’s return to play. He will be on the park this month, not necessarily at first-class level, but he will also play a role through April for us,” Larsen said.
New Zealand A are touring Sri Lanka next month.
“That will be revealed once we name the touring squads, and then obviously we’ve got some pretty big cricket that emerges in the middle of the year with the test matches.
“We’ve got 10 really big test matches which are almost, in a way, back to back, so having a Will O’Rourke fit and fresh, and being able to utilise him in that period, is crucial.”
The 24-year-old has taken 39 wickets in his first 11 tests at an average of 24.28.
Kyle Jamieson could be poised for a return to the test arena after two back stress fractures put a huge dent into his red-ball international career.
The 31-year-old has played just three tests since his first back injury while playing in a test series in England in June 2022, but has returned to international duties in both white-ball formats.
After injuries prior to and during the test series in December left the NZ side alarmingly short of their first-choice quick bowlers, there could be a fight for places against England.
Matt Henry remains the team’s pace-bowling spearhead, with O’Rourke, Jamieson, Nathan Smith, Ben Sears, Jacob Duffy, Zac Foulkes, Blair Tickner and Michael Rae all possible options.
Black Caps coach Rob Walter said this week that he also expects those players who helped the side make the T20 World Cup final to continue playing internationally.
“I think there's a real hunger in the group to work their way towards the World Cup in 2028, especially seeing as it's a home World Cup.
“I'd expect a large number, if not all of that group, to be pushing hard to be part of that World Cup and trying to go that one step further.”
Jimmy Neesham was the oldest member of the squad aged 35, while Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Henry, Michael Bracewell and Lockie Ferguson are 34, and white-ball captain Mitchell Santner, Cole McConchie, Ish Sodhi and Adam Milne are 33.
After a mismatched series against Zimbabwe, the NZ women’s side will get the kind of opposition they require from the Proteas as they build towards their defence of the T20 World Cup title.
They welcome back Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Georgia Plimmer, and Flora Devonshire for the T20Is.
Bates (quad tear), Devonshire (broken finger) and Plimmer (shoulder) have all missed games through injury while Devine will play her first Ferns match since the ODI World Cup in India last October, having now retired from that format at international level.
The side will get a brief break after daylight saving ends here before also heading to England, for three ODIs and three T20Is from May 10-26.
Then they’ll attempt to win a second consecutive T20 World Cup under the guidance of new captain Melie Kerr, starting in mid-June. The White Ferns have been drawn in Group Two along with England, West Indies, Sri Lanka and the two qualifiers, Ireland and Scotland.