LONDON: New Zealand have picked Henry Nicholls to replace retired star Kane Williamson in the second Test against England starting at The Oval on Wednesday.Williamson brought the curtain down on his illustrious international career after New Zealand’s first Test defeat at Lord’s earlier in June.

Black Caps captain Tom Latham confirmed Nicholls has been chosen ahead of Will Young for the daunting task of filling the void left by Williamson, who is New Zealand’s all-time leading run scorer across all formats.

Nicholls, 34, made the last of his 58 Test appearances against Zimbabwe 11 months ago.

“It’s a really exciting opportunity for him to come back into the side in a role, at three, that he’s been doing for Canterbury at home,” Latham told reporters on Tuesday.

“I think the good thing with Henry is he’s always been able to adapt to situations. He’s pretty much batted from the top to the middle throughout his international career, and he’ll do whatever is required for the team.”

Williamson’s decision to step away in the middle of the series is a huge blow to New Zealand after their 115-run thrashing at Lord’s.

But Latham insisted there was no ill-will among the squad towards the 35-year-old.

“For him to acknowledge that he’s not quite right, or that he can’t necessarily give 100 per cent, is testament to the player that he is, but also the person that he is as well,” Latham said.

“We’re obviously gutted not to have him, but we also acknowledge what he’s done for this group over a long period of time.

“We’re certainly behind him and we’ll wish him all the best for what the next chapter holds.”

Latham confirmed that opener Devon Conway was “good to go” after jetting home between Tests to attend the birth of his second child.

Matt Henry, who was reduced to a peripheral role at Lord’s due to back spasms, joined his team-mates at Tuesday’s net session in a bid to prove his fitness.

Meanwhile, Joe Root says he is taking the England captaincy on a “game-by-game basis” after replacing the exiled Ben Stokes for the second Test.

With Stokes left out of the squad for the second Test after breaking a midnight curfew along with team-mate Gus Atkinson, Root agreed to skipper England for the first time since 2022.

Root led England in a record 64 matches before being replaced by Stokes once the leadership role took a heavy toll on his form and peace of mind. England won just one of their last 17 Tests prior to Root stepping down as captain.

The 35-year-old batsman believes he is in a “different place” now, making him confident he will be able to lift the mood around the England squad after a turbulent period.

“I never thought I’d be sat here talking to you guys as England captain again. Zero chance... 0.1 percent,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“The only thinking that came to my mind is what is the best thing for this team, is it going to have a big effect on me and my personal life and which outweighed the other.

“The fact is it felt like it was the right thing to take this on, so I tried to make it as simple as that. I think I am in a very different place to when I finished.

“To be captaining this group of players is a really exciting opportunity.

He added, “It’s a game-by-game basis, I think. Let’s not look beyond this week.”

England head coach Brendon McCullum refused to be drawn on Stokes’ status ahead of the second Test.

Amid an England and Wales Cricket Board investigation into the late-night incident, McCullum on Monday said he was concerned about Stokes’ well-being.

Root, who is a close friend of the all-rounder, could lead England again in the third Test at Trent Bridge, which begins just three days after the scheduled finish at the Oval.

“I’ve spoken to him a number of times over the last week or so,” Root said of Stokes. “We’re close friends and I think they should stay as privileged conversations between me and him.

“When it comes to how Ben’s feeling, how he is, I think they’re all questions that he should be answering himself. I’m sure, at the right time and when he’s ready, he will.”

Asked if Stokes could command the same authority after flouting a curfew he helped bring in, Root added: “I’m sure he has this respect of everyone in our dressing room. He’s been a phenomenal leader for the last four years and the way he’s captained been brilliant.”

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2026