New Zealand have added Will Young to their squad for the last two Tests against England, filling the vacancy left by Kane Williamson’s immediate retirement from international cricket on Friday.
Young’s most recent Test appearance came in December against West Indies in Christchurch. He has 23 Test caps to his name, with 1,215 runs at an average of 31.97. His latest red-ball action came in the ODI series in Bangladesh, where he made 30, 2, and 19 across three innings.
The 33-year-old batter is due to land in England on Sunday, 14 June, and will join training with the squad from Monday. The second Test at The Oval begins on 17 June, with the series finale at Trent Bridge to follow.
Williamson’s departure midway through the tour removes one of New Zealand’s most experienced batters and a former captain who had anchored the middle order for more than a decade. His decision came after scores of 0 and 18 in the opening Test defeat at Lord’s, ending a 16-year international career.
Young’s recall restores a familiar face to the Test setup. He offers a proven domestic record at the highest level and has previously shown he can adapt to English conditions, though his recent Plunket Shield form was modest — 119 runs at 14.87 in five matches during the 2025–26 season.
The other obvious candidate to step in was Henry Nicholls, who dominated that same Plunket Shield campaign with 870 runs in seven innings at an average of 96.66. Selectors have opted for Young’s Test experience over Nicholls’ red-hot domestic numbers, suggesting they value familiarity in a series already slipping away.
New Zealand trail 1–0 in the three-match series after England’s 115-run win at Lord’s. With Williamson gone and the Oval Test days away, the tourists must reshuffle their batting order and leadership dynamic quickly.
Young’s arrival gives the squad a steady top-order option who can slot into the middle order or open if required. How he performs in the final two matches may also shape selection thinking for the next Test cycle, with New Zealand facing a transition period after losing one of their greatest batters mid-tour.