Kane Williamson set to relinquish New Zealand captaincy from one format: Reports

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson is likely to step down as captain of the side in one of the three formats of the Gentleman's game. Williamson took over the captaincy of the Kiwis after Brandon McCullum's retirement in 2016 and has been leading the side ever since. 

As per multiple reports, Williamson is set to step down as the New Zealand captain from one of the formats, ahead of the Blackcaps' upcoming tour of Pakistan. The veteran batsman is set to announce his resignation from one of the three formats on Thursday, December 16, at Christchurch. 

The New Zealand management is also likely to announce the travelling party for the two Test matches, as well as three ODIs against Babar Azam's men. 

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The Kiwis have won the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) under the tutelage of Williamson, while they also become a force not to be reckoned with, consistently reaching the knockout rounds in ICC tournaments, but also often falling short at the final hurdle. 

They reached the final of the 2019 ODI World Cup, as well as the T20 World Cup in 2021, losing both finals. 

It remains a concern for the management to manage Williamson's workload as he reaches the twilight of his career. The skipper could step down from either Test cricket, or T20Is. With the ODI World Cup set to take place in India next year, a captaincy change this close to the spectacle seems unlikely. 

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Playing all three formats has also taken a toll on Williamson, he suffered an elbow injury previously, and since then there have been questions asked about his strike rate as well. 

In his absence, Tim Southee and Tom Latham have led New Zealand so it remains to be seen who replaces the long-standing captain.