'I'm confident he will be alright' - Gary Stead assures Kane Williamson's comeback for Proteas assignment

In a reassuring update, New Zealand's head coach, Gary Stead, expressed confidence in the timely recovery of skipper Kane Williamson ahead of the first Test clash against South Africa on February 4 in Mount Maunganui. Williamson, who faced a setback with a hamstring injury after participating in just two T20Is against Pakistan, is expected to regain fitness for the upcoming series.

Additionally, Stead remained hopeful about the availability of wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell for the Test opener. Blundell, recovering from a lower-body injury since his last appearance in the Napier ODI in December, is likely to make a comeback for Wellington Firebirds in the Super Smash knockouts. Stead's positive outlook provides a boost for the Kiwis as they prepare to face the Proteas.

"I'm confident he will be alright. He's probably got another day or two before he starts back into training and it was a minor niggle, which is a good thing. So, we didn't want to aggravate it and didn't see the point of aggravating it with the important series that are ahead. He's obviously a key player and we know that and we want to make sure we've given him every chance of being available." Stead said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"It's something again we're discussing at the moment: what're the options if Tom is not right. If it's a one-off Test, do you keep it or do you skin it a little bit differently and keep the squad similar. We've got different options, but those guys are the key ones at the top of our list," he added.

Slim chances of Trent Boult picking red cherry soon

Gary Stead dropped hints about the potential inclusion of Trent Boult in the selection mix for New Zealand's three-match T20I series against Australia, preceding the T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean. However, he ruled out Boult's return for the Tests against South Africa and cited a lack of recent first-class experience as a crucial factor. The left-arm quick's focus seemed to be on the T20 format, leaving his Test comeback uncertain, as Stead weighed the considerations for the upcoming series.

"I was texting with him last [Saturday] night actually. Trent and I are going to have a conversation this week just around the future and what that looks like for him and where it fits for us as well. We're still to have those, but we will connect this week and will work out. He could be available but I'm not 100% sure. Again, I will have a conversation with Trent but at the moment, I think probably not. It's very hard to see how you come from a T20 diet back into Test consideration with no cricket before that," he concluded.