Kane Williamson eyeing a return in New Zealand's warm up games 

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson hopes “to have some involvement in the warm up fixtures” ahead of the ODI World Series, as he slowly makes his way back from half an year lay-off. 

Williamson is returning to the field after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the opening game  of the Indian T20 League. Recently during his rehab session with the New Zealand Cricket team in England, Williamson said he was “progressing well", though there is still some amount of pain.    

It's [about] working through those warm-up games to get as much out of it as I can - personally and as a team - without sort of bothering too much," Williamson said on Wednesday before the team's departure for India. "There is a strong desire to basically be involved in those as much as I can; we've got two of them before our first competition game. And basically it's just wanting to progress [with] what I am doing now - the running, the fielding, and also time in the middle with the bat.

"The load is going to keep increasing, so there is a little bit of an unknown. But it has felt pretty good really in the last few weeks, [I'm] hoping it continues to feel like that. But we're definitely looking to touch on more stuff, [and] introducing myself into the game mode, which is something which we haven't had the opportunity to do."

Williamson stressed on feeling certain difficulties as he is up against time. New Zealand will begin their World Series campaign against England in Ahmedabad on October 5. But prior to that, the Black caps will lock horns with Pakistan on September 29, and South Africa on October 2 in their two warm up fixtures. 

"Not so much the sprinting; more the slowing actually," Williamson said of the challenges in recovery. "From sprinting to braking, and a little bit of change of direction. But it's all been part of the plan, introducing it towards the end of the recovery. Having said that, there's still obviously time to go with the overall part of it, and keep trying to bank on good days because the rule's pretty much helpful in terms of just moving forward with it."

The injury has also compelled Williamson to consider his fielding position. 

"We will definitely consider some of that," he said. "Where I field is usually at mid-off, which will probably remain the case. Probably slightly better suited to it than square of the wicket. Potentially some slip, but I won't be standing there if we don't require one."