"The messaging was basically to put your head down and do the work and see where you end up” - Kane Williamson on his selection for ODI World Cup 

New Zealand batter Kane Williamson has cleared a major obstacle in his recovery from injury by being named in the Kiwi squad for the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup in India. The management had earlier claimed that they would give the skipper ample time to prove his fitness, and so far everything looks to be on track.

Williamson sustained a knee injury during the opening game of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. He was ruled out of the tournament and several feared that he would be out of action for quite a while, leaving him out of contention for the ODI World Cup as well.

Williamson stated that the prospect of featuring at the World Cup worked as an incentive during his rehabilitation. He told reporters following his inclusion in the squad, which will be officially announced on September 11:

"I also didn’t want that to dictate how my rehab went. I didn’t want to be in a rush, I wanted to make sure I was putting in the time and giving it the attention that it deserved. It didn’t change my path – at the same time, having a bit of a carrot in the back of your mind is probably helpful."

He further stated that the message from the management was crystal clear as well, which worked in his favor.

“There’s so many parts to it that you can’t control, as well, in terms of some of the healing and perhaps the swelling, and some of the backward steps you experience along the journey. The messaging was basically to put your head down and do the work and see where you end up,” Williamson added.

New Zealand will open their 2023 ODI World Cup campaign against defending champions England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 5.

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"I only want to be there if I can add some value and I’m fit and ready to go" - Kane Williamson

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead had earlier mentioned that the Kiwis will include Kane Williamson in their squad even if he misses the initial stages of the World Cup.

The right-handed batter revealed that his ability to participate in the entire tournament or not was a huge point of discussion behind his selection.

“That’s a part of the decision-making for sure … that’s been a part of the journey the whole way. I love the team and I only want to be there if I can add some value and I’m fit and ready to go. This next period of time is still important, to keep putting in the work and seeing that improvement,” Williamson said.

“A lot of my training … my batting in the nets … is basically at about 100%, give or take a few movements. It’s a grey period, but there’s been some really good progress,” he added.

Williamson has not been named in the ODI squad for the series against Bangladesh in the build-up to the World Cup. If he recovers in time, the World Cup will mark his first international outing since the home Test series against Sri Lanka in February 2023.