Kane Williamson's international future is still up in the air and he will continue to evaluate his availability on a "series-by-series" basis. Williamson, 35, retired from T20Is in November, ahead of next year's T20 World Cup, and is among a group of players who hold a casual contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC).
He is currently in action for New Zealand in the third Test against West Indies at Bay Oval, his home ground, and is unlikely to be available for the upcoming three-match ODI series in India in January 2026.
"Yeah, it's almost series-by-series, and like I say after this, there's a pretty large block away from the group as well, and there'll be more conversations had," Williamson said at his press conference in Mount Maunganui. "Yeah, so just kind of cross those bridges as we come, and like I mentioned earlier, just with the balance in mind for the young family."
Williamson had also previously flagged his shifting priorities, telling NZC of the delicate balance between time with his young family and his international commitments with New Zealand.
"Yeah, I mean, my position's still the same," Williamson said. "It's the balance, and I've got a young family, and that takes a lot of my time and attention now, and I'm still enjoying my cricket. As long as that's at the forefront...and New Zealand Cricket have been really helpful and respectful of that as well.
"And so whilst I'm still here, I want to try and contribute as much as I can and give to the team as much as I can, and it's great to be involved in this series at home again. I mean, there's quite a big break post this, so plenty more time to weigh all these things up."
Williamson's next assignment is a franchise gig with Durban's Super Giants (DSG) in the SA20, which will kick off on Boxing Day and will overlap with New Zealand's three-match ODI series in India in January next year. Williamson is also part of their parent franchise, Lucknow Super Giants, as a strategic advisor in the IPL.
As far as marquee Test assignments are concerned, New Zealand are set to visit England and Australia in 2026. They are also set to play a one-off Test against Ireland in Stormont in 2026.
"Yeah, those are amazing tours, and I've had a few of them in my time, and as we know, the depth as well in New Zealand Cricket at the moment is outstanding," Williamson said. "I mean, gosh, the injuries that we've had and the guys that are coming in and contributing like they are. I mean, I think in Wellington, across our four bowlers, there were about seven Test matches between them and to see them come in and do as well as they've done has been fantastic. So going into, you know, a big sort of Test 18 months, with a real battery of fast bowlers is exciting, and certainly going to England and Australia, etc, are really sort of mouth-watering prospects and great opportunities because they are tough tours.
"And for me, I mean, yeah, like I say, I've been involved with a few of them before, and my position is still the same, and it's sort of executing that balance as well as I can. Still wanting to very much respect that, there's a team being built, and so you're wanting to give as much as you can to it, you know, whilst you're here."
Williamson is New Zealand's highest run-getter in Test cricket, with 9461 runs in 108 games at an average of nearly 55. If he makes himself available for the upcoming tours, he could well become the first New Zealander to 10,000 Test runs, but he said that he isn't driven by numbers.
"That's funny, eh? Like, you play one Test and you're pretty stoked and then you hang around for a bit and then you have other conversations like maybe the question you were asking [10,000 Test runs]," Williamson said. "For me it's about contribution [to the team]. I've never really played for, you know... just never used this team for my own personal gain, and I know cricket's sort of saturated in stats, but you're wanting to go out and contribute to a team that you care about, so whatever runs you get are not really yours, they're for the team, and so what you end up on is whatever it is, and there's so many factors to that, you know.
"There's the amount of games you play, there's the amount of opportunities that you get to bat, blah, blah, blah. But that's not really why I love the game, and so for me it's about continuing to commit to the reasons why I love it, and that's being a part of a group and trying to contribute as much as you can."
Luke Ronchi, Williamson's former team-mate and New Zealand's current batting coach, had earlier suggested that the landmark might mean a lot to cricket in New Zealand though it might not mean much for Williamson himself.
"I think sometimes you get a little bit like... I guess from my point of view as well, you get a little bit selfish in the thought of having a New Zealand player with 10,000 Test runs would be quite a cool stat to get to," Ronchi said after the Wellington Test. "You look at what it might mean to cricket in general. But again, to him - it's not always a thing, he's not looking at numbers and expecting I'll do this or I'll do that.
"So it depends on the individual and who you look at. I think knowing Kane and how he wants to go about his cricket... it'll be in his mind anyway, but he knows that his style and the way he wants to go about it is a particular way. If he gets there, he gets there, if he doesn't, he doesn't."