Williamson will no longer play international cricket. The 35-year-old legend's retirement is effective immediately. New Zealand will soon announce a replacement player for the remaining two Tests of the series.
Williamson had already opted out of New Zealand Cricket's central contract some time ago. He retired from international T20 cricket last November. For quite a while, he had not been a regular in the other two formats either, playing select matches under a 'casual' agreement with the board. Even so, this retirement announcement comes as a major surprise.
Regarding his retirement plans, he had stated last December that he would take things "series by series." However, given that an ICC Test Championship cycle concludes next year and the ODI World Cup is scheduled for the end of the year, it was widely expected that he would continue playing at least until then. But he himself has heard the call that his time is up.
In the first Test of the series against England at Lord's, he was dismissed for scores of 0 and 18. In a statement issued by New Zealand Cricket, Williamson said he did not want to force himself to keep playing.
"I’ve been thinking about this for quite some time. But over the last few days, it became clear that now is the right time. I’ve always had a burning desire and hunger for international cricket, and I take pride in the fact that I gave my all in every match for New Zealand. It wouldn't have been right to continue playing for anything less than that, and I feel fortunate to be able to step away on my own terms." “I leave feeling optimistic about the team's future. There is immense talent here and a genuine desire to achieve something special. This is a team I love, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been a part of it for so long. It will always remain close to my heart.”
His association with the team spans nearly 16 years, though he had begun making a name for himself in New Zealand cricket long before that. He started gaining recognition in age-group cricket as early as age 14. He represented his country in the 2009 Under-19 World Cup and made his international debut the following year.
He was dismissed for a duck in his first two ODI matches but scored a century against Bangladesh in Mirpur in just his fourth game. That innings, played at the age of 20 years and 67 days, remains the record for the youngest century in New Zealand's ODI history.
Following that tour of Bangladesh, he earned his Test cap during the tour of India the very next month. He marked his Test debut with a magnificent century in Ahmedabad. There was no looking back after that; he gradually became the backbone of the Kiwi batting lineup and eventually rose to the ranks of the world's elite. He was grouped with Virat Kohli, Steven Smith, and Joe Root as part of that generation's "Fabulous Four."
He also assumed the captaincy of New Zealand and took the team to unprecedented heights in the nation's history. Under his leadership, the team played in the 2019 World Cup final, missing out on the trophy solely due to the boundary count. It was also under his captaincy that the Kiwis won the inaugural ICC World Test Championship and reached the top of the ICC rankings for the first time—achievements considered the greatest in the history of New Zealand cricket.