New Zealand Faces Change as Will Young Steps in for Retired Kane Williamson

Will Young has been named as the replacement for Kane Williamson in the New Zealand squad for the upcoming two Tests against England. This change follows Williamson's retirement, announced on Friday, after the team suffered a 115-run defeat in the first Test at Lord's. Williamson, revered as New Zealand's all-time leading Test run-scorer, leaves a significant gap in the lineup. Young, who boasts a batting average of 31.97 from 23 Tests, is set to join the squad in England on Sunday, just ahead of the second Test scheduled at The Oval on Wednesday. In his previous outings in England, Young has participated in four Tests, accumulating 223 runs at an average of 27.87 over eight innings, which includes two half-centuries. Despite being a part of the squad, Young has only played in three of New Zealand's last seven Tests over the past year. The series will conclude with the third and final match at Trent Bridge, starting on 25 June.

Source: BBC Sport - 2026-06-13

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