The 36-year-old's selection as a "gold" pick for the Adelaide Strikers in Sunday's BBL draft presented a conflict with his central contract with New Zealand Cricket (NZC), which ran to next July.
South Africa lost two wickets after tea but extended their lead over New Zealand to 211 runs by the close of Day 3 to leave the second Test delicately poised, in Christchurch, on Sunday.
Batsman Neil Broom has also been offered a contract after he was recalled to the national side following a lengthy absence to replace Ross Taylor while he recovered from eye surgery.
Half centuries from Colin de Grandhomme and B J Watling gave New Zealand a first-innings lead of 138 against Sri Lanka on the fourth day of the second and final Test in Colombo on Sunday.
De Grandhomme (60 off 47 balls) played a crucial role in New Zealand's four-wicket victory over South Africa in Birmingham on Wednesday.
New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme changed the script completely with a final over assault that enabled Royal Challengers Bangalore put up a healthy total against Mumbai Indians.
The player draft for the much-awaited Global T20 Canada 2023 was held in a hybrid-form in Mumbai.
Trent Boult and Colin de Grandhomme made themselves unavailable for selection due to the prospect of further time in bio-secure bubbles and Managed Isolation.
Australia's Steve Smith is back on top of the list of batsmen in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings after India captain Virat Kohli could manage only 21 runs in his two innings in the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington, which his side lost by 10 wickets to concede a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. This is the eighth time that Smith is on top of the rankings after first occupying the top position in June 2015.
The 31-year-old Williamson also sat out the two-Test home series against Bangladesh last month due to the niggling elbow issue.
Skipper Williamson cleared to play; spinner Patel included in 15-man squad
Kane Williamson will miss the second Test against England after testing positive for COVID
Latham, De Grandhomme lead NZ to series sweep of India
Jacob Duffy, Blair Tickner, Rachin Ravindra and Hamish Rutherford were released from the initial 20 player squad.
Images from Day 1 of the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord's on Thursday, June 2, 2022.
Captain Dimuth Karunaratne continued his rich vein of form to remain unbeaten on 49 with Angelo Mathews yet to score as only 36.3 overs of play were possible due to rain and bad light.
New Zealand's fast bowling department has been hit hard by injuries as Matt Henry, Doug Bracewell and Adam Milne have also been sidelined.
'There's no secret we're right in the hunt for the World Test Championship final following our two-nil win over India and having Trent and Kane fully fit and focussed for the upcoming series will be crucial.'
New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by five wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series in Pallekele.
Boult, De Grandhomme cleared to travel to Perth for first Test against Australia
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji present Rediff.com's Most Valuable Player Index after 37 World Cup 2023 games.
Australia's Marnus Labuschange struck another half century to pile on the runs and the misery over New Zealand on Day 3 of the day-night Test in Perth on Saturday. Earlier, Starc picked a five-wicket haul.
Cricketing landscape is changing fast, need to strike balance: Williamson
Injuries to frontline fast bowlers have forced New Zealand to opt for fresh blood in their pace attack for the three-match ODI series against India starting February 5 in Hamilton. Kyle Jamieson could be in for a potential debut, while Scott Kuggeleijn and Hamish Bennett return to the squad after a long absence. Injury has meant the likes of Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry are unavailable for the series.
Chris Jordan's all-around brilliance could not prevent New Zealand from securing a series-levelling 21-run victory over England in the second Twenty20 International of the five-match series on Sunday.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said on Tuesday all of its home-based players heading to England for a two-match Test series and the World Test Championship final have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
New Zealand opening batsman Martin Guptill has been dropped for the Test series against Pakistan and the uncapped Jeet Raval is poised to make his debut.
All-rounder Colin de Grandhomme took six for 41 in the best haul for a New Zealand cricketer on debut as the hosts dismissed Pakistan for 133 before tea on the second day of the first test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Friday. The 30-year-old seamer, a surprise selection in the squad, also became the eighth New Zealander to take a five-wicket haul on debut. New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Jeet Raval, who is also on debut, will begin New Zealand's reply after tea was taken early.
Images from the World Cup match between New Zealand and Pakistan, at Birmingham, on Wednesday.
South Africa turned the tables on New Zealand with a 198-run victory in the second Test in Christchurch on Tuesday, crushing the hosts' hopes of a breakthrough series win over the Proteas.
South Africa will need their bowlers to step up to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
All-rounder Colin de Grandhomme struck a belligerent half-century to steady New Zealand in the second Test on Saturday after South Africa's seamers torched the home side's top order during a see-sawing Day 2 in Christchurch.
Williamson's elbow injury kept him out of a Test match in India in December and home series against South Africa and Bangladesh.
Fast bowler Tim Southee will lead the Black Caps in the five matches against England starting in Christchurch on November 1.
Tom Latham led New Zealand out on the field in Sydney on Friday in the absence of unwell Kane Williamson. Australia won the toss and decided to bat first. IMAGES from Day 1 of the 3rd Test between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney on Friday
The West Indies are currently lying seventh in the 10-team standings with just three points in their kitty and they can't afford any further loss to stay in the mix for a semifinal spot.
New Zealand, who beat England by 12 runs in their previous match, advanced to the February 21 final on net run rate. They had only needed to score 175 to have the superior run rate.
India win fifth ODI to seal 4-1 series victory in New Zealand
Ish Sodhi's 168-ball 56 not out helped New Zealand hold on for draw and secure a first series win over England since 1999.
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