New Zealand captain Kane Williamson confident of being fit for England Test series

A hip problem ruled the Kiwi skipper out of the T20 clashes with the tourists but he remain hopeful of being involved later this month

Kane Williamson is optimistic of being fit enough to take his place in the New Zealand team for the first Test against England later this month.

The Kiwi skipper was forced out of the T20 international series between the two nations with a hip complaint.

Following the conclusion to the 20-over clashes on Sunday, New Zealand host England in two Tests starting at Mount Maunganui on November 21.

"It's been an ongoing niggle, really," he told New Zealand broadcasters Sky Sport during the fourth T20 in Napier. "That comes and goes. It is settling, which is nice.

"A lot of [the last few months] has been rehab to get the hip right. 

"I had a four-dayer recently and there's a gap between this series and the first Test, so it's basically training going into it."

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Williamson last outing came for Northern Districts in the Plunket Shield which finished on October 24, meaning he will have gone nearly a month without any meaningful cricket under his belt when the first Test begins.

But the 29-year-old - a veteran of 74 Tests - is confident he can adapt the demands of the longest format.

"A lot of it is mindset," he added. "So trying to get that right, trying to prepare as well as well as you can to give yourself the best chance.

"I guess if you're looking at preparation and perfect preparation, gametime can be nice - spending time in the middle - but it'll be tough to come by seeing as there's not a lot of cricket between now and then.

"So it's just trying to get the mindset right to go on and execute your plans as well as you can."