IPL 2023 | Kane Williamson to miss entire season due to knee injury

In a recent development, New Zealand’s limited-overs captain Kane Williamson is not going to represent defending champions Gujarat Titans in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Kiwi will head home after picking up a major knee injury while fielding in the curtain raiser against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which even did not allow him to come to bat in the second innings.

“It is sad to lose Kane to injury so early in the tournament. We wish him a speedy recovery, with the hope of seeing him in action very soon,” stated Vikram Solanki, Gujarat’s director of cricket, in a statement released by the franchise.

Williamson will head home to New Zealand for further assessment of his injury. The Titans, meanwhile, will finalize a replacement for Williamson and are likely to make an announcement soon.

Williamson, who was the Sunrisers Hyderabad captain even in IPL 2022, was one of 12 players released by the franchise following its eighth-place finish last year. The Titans saw the opportunity and signed him for INR 2 crore, which was supposed to be a smart move until they dealt with a massive blow.