Kiwi batsmen benefitting from ‘coach’ Kane?

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson (second from right) discusses batting technique with teammates in Dharamsala yesterday. Pic/Ashwin Ferro

New Zealand's Kane Williamson, 33, is the ultimate team man. Laid low and out of action after just one match at this World Cup due to a thumb fracture, the erstwhile skipper, who has stayed back with the team in the hope of a full recovery, is making himself more than useful in the meantime by offering valuable batting tips to his teammates.

During the team's three-hour practice session under lights (6pm to 9pm) at the HPCA Stadium here on Friday, Williamson, who has loads of batting experience, having accumulated a whopping 6,632 runs in 162 ODIs at an impressive average of 48.40, was seen having lengthy discussions with members of New Zealand's batting group.

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"He's almost like a batting consultant now with the team," said one support staff member of the NZ side with a smile when mid-day asked him about Williamson's discussions with the batsmen.

"He likes to have those chats," added the support staff member.

Williamson, who returned to NZ's playing XI for their fixture against Bangladesh last Friday - it was also his return to international cricket following a ruptured right knee ACL that he suffered during the last IPL - was batting brilliantly when he got hit on his right thumb while attempting a run and was forced to retire hurt on 78 off 107 balls.

New Zealand's top-order have been on fire so far at the World Cup, with opener Devon Conway having scored an unbeaten century against reigning champs England (152 not out), while his partner Will Young has two half centuries (70 v Netherlands and 54 v Afghanistan) and No. 3 Rachin Ravindra has an unbeaten century (123 not out v England) and a half-century (51 v Netherlands) to his name. Williamson's words of wisdom will only further strengthen their willows.