New Zealand will rest captain Kane Williamson in the second Test against England, meaning opening batsman Tom Latham will skipper the side.

After the opening encounter was drawn, the two-match series will be decided at Edgbaston from Thursday.

But New Zealand will be without world number one Test batsman Williamson, who registered scores of 13 and 1 in the opener at Lord's.

He will sit out of the match as he tries to give a lingering elbow injury time to heal ahead of World Test Championship Final against India next week.

Latham will therefore lead the team for the third time in his career and Will Young, who has just two Test innings to his name, has been brought into the starting XI to bat at number three.

"It is not an easy decision for Kane to have to miss a Test, but we think it is the right one," said New Zealand coach Gary Stead.

"He’s had an injection in his elbow to relieve the irritation he's been experiencing when he bats and a period of rest and rehabilitation will help maximise his recovery.

"The decision has been made very much with the ICC World Test Championship Final at Southampton in mind and we are confident he will be ready for that match starting on June 18."

— ICC (@ICC) June 9, 2021

New Zealand are also expected to rest some of their fast bowlers against England ahead of the crucial match with India.

They are undefeated in their past six Tests against England (W3, D3).

The last time New Zealand recorded a longer unbeaten run against them was an 11-match span from January 1984 to June 1990 (W2, D9).