Kane Williamson’s test captaincy has left an indelible mark on New Zealand cricket history.
Regardless of where the Black Caps venture under the guidance of his successor Tim Southee, fans can always point to a pioneering moment at Southampton last year when Williamson and his merry band raised themace to the world as the inaugural champions in the format.
Other leaders enjoyed tenures of greatness. Walter Hadlee established a level of international respect with the ‘49ers upon which future endeavours were measured by drawing four tests in England; Geoff Howarth’s influence saw New Zealand unbeaten in home series from 1980 until his 1985 retirement; Jeremy Coney’s shrewdness secured maiden series wins in Australia and England; Stephen Fleming’s pragmatism leveraged the best from a period of instability in the mid-1990s; and Brendon McCullum’s chutzpah provided a catalyst for fun and success again with his liking for tradition and loathing for convention.
Williamson trumps those reigns by forging New Zealand’s reputation in his own selfless image. He has never sacrificed sincerity or manners at the altar of bravado. Such a conciliatory approach has been documented since primary school when he would clap other players off the field first, despite his own star performances. He has consistently maintained an inclusive culture over a back-of-the-bus mentality.
Behind the former skipper’s iridescent sunglasses, zinced lips and coiffed beard at mid-off lay a cricketing mind driven as much by empathy for teammates as winning at all costs. He worked on the basis the game was nurtured and grown in the community on the basis of what the public saw of his side’s actions. Williamson taught a legion of fans that victories are constructed by feel rather than painted by numbers.
Intertwined with those values came an abundance of triumphs. Comparing captaincy eras is a flawed task given today’s cluttered professional landscape versus the rare amateur opportunities of yesteryear, but Williamson’s CV stacks up irrespective of measure.
Kane Williamson lifts the ICC World Test Championship Mace. Photo / Getty
He had 40 matches in charge for a 55 percent winning record of 22 victories, 10 losses and eight draws. The next best is Tom Latham’s 44 percent with four wins from nine tests, then Howarth’s 37 percent with 11 wins from 30.
In addition, Williamson’s batting average of 57.43 from 65 innings as skipper contrasted against 49.23 from 89 innings without the reins.
His test captaincy was marked by a lack of panic under pressure, an ethos that seeped like osmosis through the team. He wanted to play in sides with an indomitable spirit: All for one, one for all.
His more than 12-year test career and six years at the helm have rejuvenated a love of the game for many.
Yes, there were blind spots; New Zealand failed to eke out wins away against India, South Africa or Australia.
On a personal level, an insubordinate left elbow, a gatecrashing Covid-19, a pesky ‘flu and the joy of fatherhood saw him miss nine of the country’s last 19 tests.
At 32, he will continue as a specialist test batter and remain skipper in white-ball formats but another concern is emerging. Southee is 34 and other recent stand-in skippers Latham and Mitchell Santner are 30. More succession planning is needed. The search must accelerate for the next Williamson among a younger generation, albeit whoever is anointed must still embrace the mantra of being themselves.
Williamson’s leadership success has been wedded to charting his own course and refusing to bow to peer or media pressures about expectation. The loyal fortress surrounding the team might provide vanilla “trusting the process” type copy at times, but has been intrinsic in creating an environment of trust.
