Kane Williamson took Blackcaps to unprecedented success, says McCullum

• Kane Williamson has left New Zealand’s Test team in a far better position.
• Tim Southee has been named as the new Test captain.
• Williamson led New Zealand to victory in first World Test Championship.

Kane Williamson has been praised by former New Zealand captain and former right-handed batter Brendon McCullum for leading the team to unparalleled success in Test cricket. McCullum also thinks Williamson has left the squad in a stronger position than when he was captain.

Williamson announced his resignation as the New Zealand team’s Test captain on Thursday, ending his six-year tenure in the position after succeeding McCullum in 2016.

Williamson led New Zealand to victory in the first World Test Championship (WTC) in Southampton in June 2021 after the squad participated in 40 Tests, winning 22, drawing eight, and losing 10 matches (along with two that ended in a no-result).

McCullum noted on the SENZ Mornings radio show that “he carried the Blackcaps to unprecedented success, he provided so much consistency of top performance (in) that side, right throughout all forms of the game he’s achieved so much.”

“He’s done it in such an understated kind of a Kane Williamson, relaxed way and I think he’s been able to inspire fans not just from New Zealand to play cricket but also around the world. There are lots of people who consider Kane Williamson’s Blackcaps side as their second favourite team because of how they carry themselves and what they achieve,” said one cricket fan. When it comes to the New Zealand captaincy role, he has left the cap, or the blazer, in a far better position. The fact that he left the blazer in a better state than he found it was plainly an error on my part. He’s done a wonderful job, and I look forward to sitting down with him and toasting to what he’s accomplished over a beautiful bottle of wine at some point in the future,” he continued.

While Tim Southee, an experienced bowler, has been named as the New Zealand captain in Test matches, McCullum revealed why Tauranga-based hitter Kane Williamson resigned from the position of Test captain.

“Despite a few recent chats, I didn’t believe Kane was ready to stand down just yet. He was sort of attempting to figure out how to lighten his workload little.

I think Tim Southee will do a fantastic job, and Kane will give him all the support he needs in his new role as a foot soldier, just as Tim gave Kane everything he had as a foot soldier during his captaincy. But I assume there are two aspects to it. The second aspect, in my opinion, is how outstanding a job Kane did leading the Blackcaps for as long as he did, the player remarked.

The 34-year-old Southee has steered New Zealand in 22 Twenty20 internationals and has recently acted as opener Tom Latham’s backup.

The third-highest wicket-taker in the history of the game for New Zealand, Southee, is expected to lead the team via an aggressive and free-flowing style of cricket, according to McCullum, who is presently England’s Test coach.

“I believe he’ll perform well. To be very honest, I believe this appointment is excellent. We’re going to play New Zealand in six weeks or whatever, and I’m obviously on tour abroad, but I think it’s a really wonderful appointment,” McCullum said.

Tim has a really aggressive cricketing mind and will want to play the game in a free-spirited way as well, so it will be fascinating to see how he approaches it. Although there is a hint of sadness for New Zealand, it is exhilarating nonetheless, he continued.

The first match of Southee’s two-match tour of Pakistan as Test captain will take place in Karachi from December 26–30, and the second Test will take place in Multan from January 3–7. The World Test Championship (WTC) cycle includes both contests.

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