Williamson ruled out of second Test

New Zealand have been dealt a huge blow just hours before the second Test of their series against India with captain Kane Williamson ruled out of the match with severe illness.

Ross Taylor will stand in as captain for the Black Caps after Williamson failed to recover from a fever.

While initial indications were that the 26-year-old’s condition wasn’t major and that he would be right to play the crucial Test, Williamson is now being quarantined from the rest of the touring party.

The ICC’s No.2 ranked Test batsman missed training on match-eve ahead of Friday’s match at Eden Gardens.

"Kane is a little bit crook today so he won't be training. Hopefully he'll be fine to go tomorrow," NZ opener Tom Latham told reporters on Thursday.

"There is no discomfort, he is just down with a bug. Nothing too major, he is just resting up and getting right for tomorrow."

But Williamson’s condition hasn’t improved and it was confirmed he’ll miss the second Test on Friday after being treated by the Kiwis’ team doctor.

Left-hander Henry Nicholls looms as Williamson’s likely replacement.

It’s a huge loss for New Zealand, who were comfortably accounted for by India in the first Test, losing by 197 runs as the hosts’ spinners Ravi Ashwin and Ravendra Jadeja ran rampant on a turning Kanpur pitch.

Williamson made 75 off 137 balls in the Black Caps’ first innings, sharing in a 124-run partnership with Latham, and is regarded as one of the side’s finest players of spin.