There won’t be a Fab 4 reunion, or rather clash, between Kane Williamson and Virat Kohli during the India vs New Zealand ODI series. That’s because Williamson has virtually made him unavailable for the white-ball tour in January.
The former Kiwi captain has adopted a ‘series by series’ approach for the last few months. Earlier in the year, when New Zealand toured Zimbabwe for a 2-match Test series, Williamson decided to play for Middlesex in County Cricket and for the London Spirit in the Hundred instead. He’ll continue going towards that route.
“Yeah, it’s almost series by series, and like I say, after this, there’s a pretty large block away from the group as well, and there’ll be more conversations. So, we’ll just cross those bridges as we come, keeping the balance in mind, especially with a young family,” Williamson said after New Zealand beat the West Indies in Mount Maunganui.
Williamson to skip IND vs NZ ODIs
Earlier in the year, the 35-year-old had retired from T20Is, which made him a 2-format player for New Zealand. Given that ODIs aren’t relevant at the moment due to the focus shifting towards the 2026 T20 World Cup, Williamson won’t play international cricket for the time being.
He has already signed a deal with the Durban Super Giants in the SA20 2025-26, from December 26 to January 26, which will coincide with the India vs New Zealand ODI series.
“My position is still the same. It’s about balance. I’ve got a young family now, which takes a lot of my time and attention, but I’m still enjoying my cricket. As long as that remains the case, New Zealand Cricket have been really helpful and respectful of that,” he added.
Williamson has also, in some ways, made plans for life after his international cricket career ends. He has started commentating and joined the Lucknow Super Giants as a strategic advisor.
IND vs NZ ODI series schedule
| Match | Day | Date | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st ODI | Sunday | January 11 | Baroda | 1:30 PM |
| 2nd ODI | Wednesday | January 14 | Rajkot | 1:30 PM |
| 3rd ODI | Sunday | January 18 | Indore | 1:30 PM |
