Kane Williamson, the star New Zealand batter, is set to play his 100th Test match, a milestone that has him reflecting on his journey and the surreal experience of his debut against India in 2010.
Williamson, now 33, vividly recalls the awe he felt when he walked out to bat in Ahmedabad, surrounded by legendary Indian cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, and VVS Laxman.
“I remember walking out and looking around the field and seeing all my heroes,” Williamson said. “I used to love playing backyard cricket as a youngster, and all those guys were in that team that I would try and select.”
“It was Tendulkar and Laxman and Dravid, and it was kind of like, ‘How am I here? I’d better start watching the ball and try and compete.'”
Despite the intimidating presence of the Indian greats, Williamson made a memorable debut, scoring 131 in New Zealand’s first innings. He credits that experience with shaping his approach to the game.
“It was quite surreal,” he said. “I remember being quite eager to try and get into the opposition’s dressing room and chat to some of those guys if I could.”
Over the past decade, Williamson has established himself as one of the world’s leading batters, amassing 8675 runs at an average of 55.25, including 32 centuries and 33 fifties. He has also led New Zealand to the World Test Championship title in 2021.
Reflecting on his journey, Williamson emphasized the importance of continuous learning and improvement.
“Then a few grey hairs later and (after) a number of different experiences over that time, there’s not been many days – probably any – where I haven’t tried to improve and get better as a player,” he said.
“It’s never a perfect journey. You go through so much. The format of Test cricket in particular really takes you through that. The learning – physically, (and) mentally – the reflection, (and) the memories of almost every Test that when you sit down and dissect it, there’s so much that you do recall.”
Williamson’s 100th Test match will be a special occasion for him and for New Zealand cricket. It is a testament to his longevity, skill, and dedication to the game.
