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Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson will miss the second Test against India, which will start from October 24, Thursday at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune as he continues his rehab from a groin strain.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) took to Instagram and issued a statement, saying, "Squad News | Kane Williamson will not be available for the BLACKCAPS second Test match against India, as he continues his rehabilitation from a groin strain."
Willamson got injured during his last outing against Sri Lanka in a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, causing him to miss the first Test against India in Bengaluru. Despite his absence, the Kiwis secured an impressive victory by eight wickets, marking their first win in India in 36 years.
NZ head coach Gary Stead said that while Williamson was making progress, he was not yet ready to return to Test cricket.
"We are monitoring Kane and he is tracking in the right direction, but is not yet 100 per cent fit," said Stead.
"We are hopeful to see further improvement over the coming days and have him available for the third Test," added the coach.
In 37 Tests against India, Kane Williamson has accumulated 871 runs at an average of 37.86, including two centuries and five fifties across 24 innings, with a highest score of 131.
In their eight-wicket victory at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the contributions of Rachin Ravindra, Matt Henry, and William O'Rourke were pivotal, marking New Zealand's first win on Indian soil since 1988.
During the match, exceptional bowling from Henry (5/15) and O'Rourke (4/22) dismissed India for a mere 46 runs after they chose to bat first. Rachin's brilliant 134, along with Devon Conway's 91 and Tim Southee's 65, propelled the Kiwis to a total of 402 all out, giving them a substantial 356-run lead.
Despite strong performances from Indian captain Rohit Sharma (52), Virat Kohli (70), Sarfaraz Khan (150), and Rishabh Pant (99), who helped India reach 462 all out and secure a 106-run lead, a collapse after the new ball hampered their chances of extending that lead. The Kiwis chased down the target comfortably, winning by eight wickets, with Rachin earning the 'Player of the Match' award.
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