Kane Williamson's announcement to call time on T20 international matches for New Zealand has not made him stop playing T20 franchise cricket. Nevertheless, the experienced player is not going to take part in the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies since he prioritises workload management and the longer format's preparation.
The 34-year-old has chosen to avoid the ODIs starting November 16 in Christchurch, which indicates his determination to concentrate on Test cricket. Williamson's choice comes shortly after his T20I retirement announcement and denotes a thoughtfully managed strategy for fitness and form at this juncture in his career.
Mitchell Santner to lead; Henry returns for ODIs and Kane Williamson opts out
The West Indies series squad of 14 players has been announced by New Zealand's selectors and it is headed by Mitchell Santner. Fast bowler Matt Henry is back in the team after being out of the ICC Champions Trophy and the most recent limited-overs series because of an injury. The three ODIs in Christchurch, Napier, and Hamilton from November 16 to 22 will also be a way for New Zealand to get ready for the World Test Championship encounters beginning December 2.
Even though Williamson is New Zealand's all-time leading ODI run-scorer with 7256 runs at an impressive average of 48.70, he has made it clear that he will only contribute in formats where he is physically and mentally at his best. His choice to stay away from ODIs indicates his determination to be in the best shape for the coming red-ball assignments.
New Zealand’s selectors, however, continue to face an injury crisis. Mohammad Abbas, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, and Ben Sears remain unavailable. Blair Tickner, who impressed against England, has been rewarded with another opportunity.
Off the field, Williamson has also embraced a new cricketing role, joining the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as a strategic advisor ahead of IPL 2026, a move initiated by franchise owner Dr. Sanjiv Goenka.
New Zealand ODI Squad vs West Indies
Mitchell Santner (c), Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Zak Foulkes, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Blair Tickner, Will Young
Fixtures
1st ODI: Christchurch, November 16
2nd ODI: Napier, November 19
3rd ODI: Hamilton, November 22
