Superstar batsman to lead New Zealand in all three formats after Brendon McCullum's retirement
Williamson named Black Caps Test skipper
New Zealand have confirmed superstar batsman Kane Williamson will take over as Black Caps Test skipper, following Brendon McCullum’s retirement in February.
Williamson, already captain of New Zealand’s one-day international and Twenty20 outfits, will be the Black Caps’ 29th Test captain.
The 25-year-old was the red-hot favourite to take over the role after McCullum played his final Test against Australia in Christchurch, but New Zealand had opted to defer the decision until after the ICC World T20 in India to ensure the team’s focus remained solely on the shortest form of the game.
Williamson’s captaincy at the tournament, where he led New Zealand to a spot in the semi-finals before their campaign was cut short by England, impressed enough for him to win the role across all three formats.
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New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive David White said Williamson was the right man to lead the team forward.
"Kane has been a leader within the team for a long time now and already shown himself to be an extremely capable captain," White said.
"He’s respected by his peers and the wider cricket community for his professional approach both on and off the field, and has a superb cricket brain.
"His drive to see the team succeed and his passion for the game are what you look for in a leader. He’s ready for the role and will only continue to grow."
Williamson, who is currently in India playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, said he was looking forward to the challenge of continuing McCullum’s legacy, which saw the Black Caps rise up the Test ranking in his four years at the helm.
"It’s certainly an honour. I’ve really enjoyed my time spent as captain and believe this team can achieve a lot,” Williamson said.
"I’m lucky to have a number of experienced players around me for support and will certainly look to utilise this. We’re all striving for the same thing and that’s to represent New Zealand with pride and win cricket games.
"I’ve certainly learnt a lot from Brendon, as has everyone who has played with him.
"The culture that he and Mike have cultivated has been a huge part of this team’s success in recent times. We not only have good players, but good people too and that certainly makes any captain’s job easier."
Test captaincy is the latest in a long list of accolades racked up by Williamson since his international debut in 2010.
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Currently ranked third on the Test batting charts behind Australian skipper Steve Smith and England star Joe Root, Williamson was named one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year earlier this month.
He already has 13 Test tons from 48 matches – five of them coming in 2015 including two on Australian soil.
Williamson will have to wait until July to make his Test captaincy debut, with the Black Caps scheduled to play Zimbabwe in two Tests ahead of a two-match series against South Africa at the end of August.