Black Caps coach Mike Hesson has played down suggestions Kane Williamson is feeling the effects of a long season ahead of the team's tour to Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Williamson hit 65 from 45 balls to help Yorkshire beat Derbyshire in the English Twenty20 competition overnight, but will take a break from the team's next match with Yorkshire management claiming the 25-year-old is "mentally fatigued".
The reports out of the UK came as a surprise to Hesson as New Zealand-based players and staff flew to South Africa on Monday afternoon.
"I actually read that this morning as well, but I've spoken to Kane many times and he's fine and very much looking forward to getting over there," he said.
Williamson is set to captain the Black Caps for the first time since being confirmed as Brendon McCullum's replacement when the first Test against Zimbabwe gets underway in Harare in just over a fortnight.
"It'll be great for Kane - he's captained New Zealand 36 times but it'll be his first Test match and it'll be a special occasion," Hesson said.
The Black Caps coach was calm about reports of civil unrest in Zimbabwe, and was confident the first Test would go ahead as scheduled.
"There's nothing to suggest it won't at this stage, but we'll need to collect further information and a number at New Zealand Cricket and the Players Association and many other people are providing really good advice" he said.
"We've been pretty well briefed in terms of what's happening so ... if anything changes I'm sure we'll be given plenty of instruction," he said.
"We're very confident we're getting up-to-date information."
The Black Caps will hold an eight-day camp in Johannesburg ahead of the first Test.
Newshub.
