New Zealand have been forced into a mid-tour reshuffle during their ongoing three-match Test series in England. The side has brought 33-year-old batter Will Young into the fold for the two remaining games of the series. The move became necessary after Kane Williamson stunned everyone by announcing his retirement from international cricket on 12 June, leaving a sudden gap at the top of the order.
When and Where Young Joins Up
According to the plan, Will Young will land in England on 14 June and then begin taking part in the Kiwi team's training sessions from Monday. The second Test of the series is set to be played at The Oval from 17 June. The series got under way with the first Test at Lord's, which England managed to win. That means New Zealand now go into the remaining two matches trailing and chasing a comeback.
Young's Test Journey and His India Heroics
Will Young's most recent Test outing was not all that long ago — he last featured in the format in December 2025. He made his Test debut back in 2020, yet since then he has managed to play only 23 Test matches. While he has never fully nailed down a permanent spot in the side, his bat has done plenty of talking in the top order whenever he has been handed an opportunity. The clearest example came on the 2024 tour of India, where New Zealand swept the Test series 3-0. In that series Young piled up 244 runs across 6 innings and walked away with the Player of the Series award.
What Williamson Said About Retiring
Despite stepping away, Williamson will stay on with the team for a few more days. In his press conference he explained why. He said, "I'll be with the team for a bit but I'll also give them some space. For some people in the team this isn't a new thing, but for many it is. So the situation will get a little better in the coming days. I've been part of this team for a very long time and there are many leaders in it. We'll have to take some steps to move forward from here."
England Make Two Changes Too
It is not just New Zealand who have shaken things up — hosts England have also tweaked their line-up for the second Test, making two changes to their squad. Captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson have been left out, while Jofra Archer and Jordan Cox have been drafted in to replace them.
