Williamson returns as New Zealand look to strengthen WTC finale hopes

Williamson Returns as New Zealand Eye WTC Finale

The New Zealand Test side has had a remarkable turnaround, winning the series in India 3-0 despite the absence of captain Kane Williamson. With this, they have a chance to secure a spot in the World Test Championship final, depending on other results. This series will also mark the potential swansong for former captain and fast-bowler Tim Southee if they don't qualify for the final.

England, on the other hand, aims to recover from their 2-1 series loss to Pakistan. Their aggressive approach, coined as 'Bazball,' has not served them well in subcontinental conditions. The same was evident in their two-day warm-up game, where only a few batters managed to score half-centuries. England last won a series in New Zealand in 2008, and they will look to change that on the quicker tracks.

Fixture Details

• Date: November 28 to December 2, 2024
• Venue: Hagley Oval, Christchurch
• Weather: Cloudy, no rain expected
• Pitch: Bowler-friendly on Day 1, gets easier to bat on

Teams
New Zealand

• Confirmed Changes: Kane Williamson replaces Will Young; Nathan Smith makes Test debut
• Probable XI: Devon Conway, Tom Latham (C), Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Tom Blundell (wk), Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Matt Henry, Will O'Rourke

England

• Injury Update: Jordan Cox ruled out, Ollie Pope to keep wickets
• Confirmed XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope (wk), Ben Stokes (C), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir

Tom Latham expressed his feelings on dropping Will Young for Kane Williamson, stating, "I followed up [after Stead's conversation with Young]. He's a great team man and certainly did nothing wrong. It was a tough decision to make but I guess when you're in a position to make tough calls, it means your team is in a good spot… Obviously gutted for Young but excited with Kane coming back."