Replacing a player of Kane Williamson’s stature can be a daunting task but Will Young, who played a pivotal role in New Zealand’s historic 3-0 Test series win in India, saw it as an opportunity to create his own mark after “running the drinks” as a reserve batter for four years.
If New Zealand’s batting appeared thin with Williamson not making it to India for the first Test in Bengaluru due to injury, the 31-year-old Young banished any such doubts with his unbeaten 48 as the Kiwis hammered the hosts by eight wickets.
As it became evident that Williamson would not make it to India in time to help New Zealand clear trials by spin at Pune and Mumbai, Young had given enough indications that he was ready for the challenge.
“Since my debut about four years ago, I’ve been in and out through form (or) through selection. “I’ve been a reserve batter for a number of years now so I’ve come to know the feeling of running the drinks really well,” Young told media here after New Zealand’s historic win, insinuating that he was always ready.
“When I do get an opportunity to play, I’m more excited to go out and do my own thing in my own way and not try to replace Kane or whoever it might be, just play my own game and see it as a great opportunity rather than big boots to fill,” he added.
Young acknowledged the role Williamson played in New Zealand’s training camps back home and also during his presence on the earlier assignments in the Indian subcontinent.
“Unfortunately Kane’s not here and if he was, he’d be a great person to lean into and to ask what he thinks in certain situations. We also had three really good camps leading into the series back home and he was at those camps.
“But it’s great at the moment because we’ve got fantastic batters all throughout our line-up and they’ve all got slightly different methods and on the day you’ve just got to pick what method you think will work and you’ve got to have the courage to back that and show your skills.
“Yeah, I try not to bat like Kane, I try to bat like me and do it my own way,” he added.
For New Zealand to beat India at their own game on spinning wickets was as special as their series win in this part of the world, and Young conceded scoring runs on turning tracks in Pune and Mumbai was more satisfying.
“If you look at all three matches, there was different challenges in each. In Bangalore, a lot of wickets fell to spin and then (in) Pune and Mumbai it was a lot more challenging against spin.”
“As a New Zealander coming over here and playing in Indian conditions, it’s always going to be slightly more satisfaction of scoring runs against spin, so I’d suppose scoring runs in Pune or Mumbai felt more special,” said Young, who ended the series as the third highest run-getter.
With 244 runs at 48.80 across three Tests, Young finished behind India’s Rishabh Pant (261 runs) and compatriot Rachin Ravindra (256 runs).
However, his biggest contributions came in the third Test at Mumbai when Young’s 71 and 51 across the two innings helped New Zealand become the first team ever to beat India 3-0 in their own backyard.
