New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, is in all likelihood, set to miss the ODI World Cup scheduled to be played in India later this year as a player. However, a fresh claim suggests that he could travel still travel with the team in the capacity as a mentor.
Given that Williamson brings with him vast amount of experience as a captain and a player, the management would also be keen to pick up his brains even when he cannot go out there and bat for the country.
Team's head coach Gary Stead has said that he would look to use Williamson's experience in a role similar to that of a mentor.
"It's still far too early to know (whether he will be fit in time for the World Cup). He's had the operation and, to date, what we know, that's been successful. So he is in the very, very early stages of his rehab programme," Stead told reporters ahead of Black Caps' five-match ODI series against Pakistan as quoted by Reuters.
"It's obviously pretty non-weight-bearing at this stage, and he's in a brace. It's really just meeting milestones as we go."
It is pertinent to note that the Kiwi star was part of the Gujarat Titans squad this year but sustained an injury while fielding during his debut game for the franchise in March. He was subsequently ruled out of the entire tournament and is currently in rehab after a successful surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of his right knee.
"Our line around Kane, at the moment, is still it's unlikely that he will be available, but we certainly don't want to rule out a person of his class and calibre, and the things he brings to this team, too early in case there is that chance still," Stead said remining optimistic about the star player's return despite an estimated nine months required for an ACL rupture to heal completely.
Williamson led New Zealand to the finals of the 2019 edition of the ODI World Cup where they succumbed to a defeat by the "barest of margins" losing to England on a boundary count rule to finish as the runners up.