"Optimistic" Kane Williamson hasn't ruled himself out for 2023 ODI World Cup

Kane Williamson hasn't shut the door on playing in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

The mega event of 2023 is scheduled to start in few months time in India. The 2023 ODI World Cup will kick start on October 4 with top ten teams compete to become the World Champions. The runners-up of the last two editions, New Zealand, will hope that they can win their maiden title but will have a big hole to fill without their skipper, Kane Williamson, who suffered a horrible injury during the season's opener of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League between the Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans.

He was fielding at the boundary line, and in an attempt to save a boundary, he injured his leg and was ruled out of the competition. Though the Kiwi star underwent surgery in April and was on crutches for a period of over a month. It was also learned that he might not be able to make it for the mega-event in India.

"Healing of the injury is the focus"- Kane Williamson on his rehab before 2023 ODI World Cup

Kane Williamson is making steady and slow progress from the injury, but it doesn't look like enough for him to feature in the World Cup in October. The New Zealand Cricket board is likely to announce the squad for the mega event in August but will have an eye on how Williamson is doing with is progress. In a discussion with Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine, the 32-year-old spoke about his recovery and how he is managing everything.

Kane Williamson said that he is not thinking too far ahead and taking one day at a time. Though he has shown good signs but still is a long way from padding up once again to face anyone at the nets. He said, "As much as I’d love for everything to pan out from a time perspective, the healing of the injury is the focus, because there is still cricket after the World Cup and I would like to be involved in that. The focus is just on each day, each week and not getting too far ahead of myself, because it’s perhaps on the unlikely side of expectations."

Notably, ACL injuries are not seen normally in cricket, but clear data can help detect the progress of the injury. Williamson admitted that the support staff and the cricket board have been helpful with him, which has helped in his rehab program. Though it is very tough to stay away from the game for him but he has found one brighter side of it. He has time to spend with his family away from his busy cricket calendar. Kane Williamson concluded, "If anything, having these blocks off you get very keen to get back into what you love doing, which is playing the sport — and hopefully for a little bit longer yet."