Blackcaps coach Gary Stead says the team has contingency plans in place, should Kane Williamson miss game time with the arrival of his first child imminent.
Soon after smashing a career-best 251 during the first test against West Indies, Williamson revealed his partner was due in mid-to-late December.
The 30-year-old called it a "very exciting time" in his life and asked: "Does a due date mean anything? I don't know."
With a busy schedule over the next month, Williamson is bound to miss game-time for the Blackcaps, who will look for a test sweep against West Indies, starting December 11 in Wellington.
After that, the Blackcaps face Pakistan in three Twenty20s on December 18, 20 & 22, followed by two more tests, the first starting on Boxing Day.
"At the moment, we're taking it game by game, and seeing where Kane and Sarah are at with the impending birth of their child," says Stead.
"We will have contingencies in place, if something had to happen - we can change quickly. We will make that call when we have too.
"Worst case, Kane would miss matches for New Zealand, but as a dad and parent, you only get what opportunity once to be there for your child's birth.
"I know he will want to be there. At the end of the day, we play cricket and other things are more important."
Williamson didn't play in the Blackcaps' recent 2-0 T20 series win over West Indies, so if the baby comes during the upcoming Pakistan series, that would be ideal for Stead's side.
But if Williamson misses test action, Stead thinks Will Young would be the perfect replacement for the skipper.
Young made his long-awaited test debut in the Blackcaps' innings-and-134-run win over West Indies, but could only manage five runs on a difficult, green Seddon Park pitch.
The 28-year-old came into the line-up to replace injured wicketkeeper BJ Watling, who is expected to be fit for the second test.
With Watling returning, Young will likely miss out, but a second chance shouldn't be too far away.
"BJ is having some final tests this morning on his hamstring," says Stead. "He was going through a host of running things with the physio.
“Everything we've asked him to do, he's met. BJ will take the gloves again and go into the middle order.
“We haven't talked about it yet, but I imagine Tom Blundell will go back to the top of the order.
"Will is a natural replacement [for Williamson]. He was named in our XIII, and we don't select and unselect based on one innings at a time.
"I know he will learn from that experience in his first test."
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