A team is 4 wickets down for 70 in a test match. Which players would you like to see come to bat in this situation? Kane Williamson, Virat Kohli, Joe Root, or Ben Stokes? Certainly, Kane Williamson because he delivers consistently.
Kane Williamson is one of the greatest batsmen of his generation and one of the finest New Zealand cricketers of all time. He made his Test debut in 2010 against India and has since played 94 Test matches, amassing 8,124 runs at an average of 54.89, with 28 centuries and 33 half-centuries. He is also the current captain of the New Zealand Test team.
Williamson is known for his elegant and stylish batting, as well as his ability to score runs in all conditions and against all types of bowling attacks. He is particularly adept at playing on turning pitches, where he has scored some of his most memorable centuries.
He is the man for big moments, and since his debut, New Zealand has often looked to him to deliver on the grandest stages, and he hasn’t disappointed. A few months ago, Tim Southee rightly said that from a young age, Williamson has been looked upon as the guy who gets things done in difficult conditions, and that’s the hallmark of great players who excel where a less determined player might falter.
131 runs against India at Ahmedabad in 2010
Let’s go back to his debut against India at Ahmedabad when he scored a wonderful century against a strong Indian bowling attack. The thing is, when a team is playing in India, they might consider a draw more convincing than at any other place. Williamson’s 131 at Ahmedabad while batting at number 6 was truly a special innings in all its efforts. Most importantly, he batted for 299 balls, which is enough for a batter to prove his ability. In his debut against India, he didn’t look flustered at all, and to this day, he has only grown in that aspect of his game.
102 runs against South Africa at Wellington in 2012
Let’s move ahead to Kane Williamson’s second Test century. It came against South Africa at Wellington in a situation where New Zealand desperately needed it. South Africa had set a 389-run target for New Zealand in the fourth innings. The quality of the South African bowling attack was one of the best, featuring Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, and Vernon Philander. At just 22 years of age, Williamson took his ground and batted throughout the day, facing 228 deliveries and scoring 102 runs. The second-highest score for New Zealand in that innings came from Kruger van Wyk, who scored 39 runs. Once again, Williamson successfully saved New Zealand.
135 runs against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 2012
In the same year, against Sri Lanka, Williamson’s third Test century finally came in a winning cause as New Zealand beat Sri Lanka in Colombo by 169 runs. The talent on display elevated Williamson’s batting position, and now he was batting at number 3 for New Zealand. After both openers fell for 14 runs, Williamson shared a 262-run partnership with Ross Taylor. It was a very similar kind of innings where Williamson scored 135 runs, and Taylor contributed 142 runs. Both lost their wickets in a similar way, being given out leg before by Rangana Herath. It wasn’t easy to bat in those conditions, but Williamson was up to the task with composure and determination.
139 against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi in 2018
Williamson’s 89 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi allowed New Zealand to cross the 250-run mark in the first innings, but he had more work to do. New Zealand kept losing wickets around Williamson in the second innings, but he was in top form, not giving any opportunities to the Pakistani bowlers. He went on to score 139 runs, and New Zealand went from 60/4 to a declaring position of 353/7 overnight. It was a memorable win as New Zealand defeated Pakistan in a series away from home for the first time in 49 years. All credit goes to Kane Williamson and his leadership that pushed Pakistan away from the game.
132 against England at Wellington in 2023
Once again, New Zealand found themselves in trouble after being forced to follow-on by England. They were 226 runs behind, but it appeared that New Zealand was determined to save the match, and none more so than Kane Williamson, who scored 132 runs, well supported by his teammates. Remarkably, New Zealand scored 483 runs after being forced to follow-on, leaving England with the challenging task of chasing 257 runs in the fourth innings. What unfolded was one of the most dramatic and nail-biting last days of cricket. New Zealand defeated England by just 1 run, the narrowest margin possible in cricket.
121 against Sri Lanka at Christchurch in 2023
This time in Christchurch, Kane Williamson’s brilliant 121 run innings saw his side home on the very last ball of a test match. Sri Lanka batted well and gave New Zealand a challenging target of 285 runs in the fourth innings. Almost in a losing situation, Williamson kept New Zealand alive in the game with his mere presence, which pulled off a heist. His last dive to score a single meant more than his century in this game, but it was him who stayed there till the end and created a majestic moment in test cricket.
With 7 runs needed off the last over and New Zealand losing a wicket on the third ball, with 5 runs needed off the last three, the fourth ball was slashed away for a magical boundary. A heart-in-the-mouth moment on the last ball of the game as Williamson missed touching the ball with the bat, but he ran through and dived for a single.
Kane Williamson, one of the best in the game, has suffered a few injuries but has always made remarkable comebacks. Anytime he bats, it’s wonderful to watch him getting the job done in his own way. He has deep level of sedated confidence about his own game, his own technique and calculations are very precise and very much on target most of the times.
