Kane Williamson has voiced his support for the introduction of designated international cricket windows, which he believes would create a “more level competition” in the World Test Championship (WTC). This comes as the ICC‘s cricket committee prepares to review potential changes to the WTC format during its upcoming meeting in Zimbabwe. The call for reform has been amplified by ECB chair Richard Thompson and England captain Ben Stokes, who has labeled the current points system as “utterly confusing.”
Williamson, who led New Zealand to victory in the inaugural WTC final in 2021, has expressed concerns about the competition’s uneven scheduling. Australia, England, and India play significantly more matches in each cycle than other teams, a disparity he describes as “not ideal.” He also supports the recent proposal from the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) advocating for four protected 21-day international windows annually. “It comes back to scheduling,” Williamson told ESPNcricinfo. “If you can prioritise windows where teams are playing each other consistently and somewhat evenly, then I think it just makes it [the WTC] a slightly more level competition.”
A major point of contention in the current WTC cycle has been the significant variance in the number of matches played. South Africa reached the 2025 WTC final after playing just 12 Tests—the joint-lowest in the cycle—leading to further scrutiny of the system’s fairness. Williamson acknowledges the difficulties in achieving balance, stating, “[Teams] get the cards that they are dealt and they try to make use of what’s in front of them.” He emphasized the need for periodic review, adding, “Any time you get the opportunity to review after a two-year Test Championship window, to try and tweak it a little bit, that’s fine.”
The conversation around international cricket scheduling is further complicated by the rise of franchise leagues, which Williamson acknowledges as a growing challenge, particularly for nations outside the “big three” of Australia, England, and India. “We’re a small country and a smallish economy, certainly relative to some of the big, big nations,” he said, noting the increasing focus on five-Test series played by the top cricketing nations. He also highlighted the changing aspirations of young cricketers, many of whom now prioritize franchise opportunities over national representation. “You can only say that’s gone from […] a pure Test focus, where that was the start of my career as a youngster, to maybe looking at playing in the IPL, or playing in some of these other big leagues,” he explained.
Williamson also reflected on the shifting landscape of 50-over cricket, suggesting that the format may be losing prominence amid the packed cricketing calendar. “I still think the ODI World Cup is at the top of the list in terms of an international event to win,” he said. “When I first started, you’d have a tour for six weeks… Now, you tend to go from one thing to the next, and so it [50-over cricket] may well be the thing that gives way.”
As he continues to balance international and franchise commitments, Williamson’s career choices reflect the changing priorities of modern cricketers. Now 34, he remains committed to New Zealand but recently declined a central contract for the 2024/25 season to participate in leagues such as SA20, PSL, the T20 Blast, and the Hundred. Discussing the evolving global calendar, he remarked, “At the moment, there’s no clear windows that meet everybody’s needs, and that’s the tough part. If you do have clear windows, and you do allow that full focus… then you can just take your attention there.”
Despite the rapid shifts in the cricketing landscape, Williamson remains passionate about representing his country while also embracing new opportunities. “I still absolutely love playing for New Zealand and I’m looking forward to doing that again in the future,” he said. “But it is nice: there are some other options you can have, and with a young family as well, it’s nice that they can have me around a little bit.”
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
