Williamson woes can’t be ignored
New Zealand Cricket must not allow Kane Williamson to burn out. These are alarming times as Williamson and his Black Caps fail to fire in Australia.
But they have been made more alarming as concerns arise about the current state of New Zealand’s superstar.
When someone as close to Williamson as former Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum questions whether Williamson is enjoying the captaincy as much as he has in the past, the big wigs of the Kiwi game need to take notice.
When a former New Zealand player as learned as Ian Smith, who spends more time than any ex-international around the team in his TV commentary role, also admits to ‘‘genuine concerns’’ around Williamson, then these warning signs can’t be ignored.
Cricket captaincy is one of the most demanding leadership roles in sport purely because of the length of the game and the never-ending twists and turns that require skippers to punch and counter-punch.
When the captain is also the team’s best batsman, the responsibilities double.
McCullum, one of Williamson’s biggest fans, suggested Williamson had been ‘‘a slightly reluctant leader at times’’ in the past but he has suddenly sensed something deeper. The Black Caps can’t allow that to linger or fester.
Their progress under Williamson has been too good to allow it to implode, and Williamson’s deeds with the bat have been too valuable to allow them to continue to be affected by issues other than the opposition bowler who is coming at him.
There is no suggestion that a weary Williamson won’t front for the third test in Sydney that starts on Friday. It’s what happens after this tour that is now a growing fascination.
No player is bigger than the team but in Williamson, a batsman of such rare talent and a man so widely admired in the game, it should be a case of what Kane wants, Kane gets.
If he needs a rest, he should get it. If he wants to cut back some of his captaincy duties, then so be it.
The concern is in the alternatives, particularly longterm.
New Zealand have afforded Williamson brief breaks in the past, mainly in Twenty20 situations, with Tim Southee the go-to guy as captaincy backup.
The durable Southee, now 31, can’t be expected to go on forever and quite who could take over in the other formats is also blurred.
NZ Cricket couldn’t go back to Ross Taylor after the way he was shunted aside when McCullum took the reins.
This is a proud Black Caps outfit which must now show some resolve in Sydney.
The encouragement for that must come from Williamson and his coach Gary Stead.