Kane Williamson Opens Up On Fab Four Comparison With Virat Kohli, Joe Root and Steve Smith

Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has reflected on the much-talked-about 'Fab Four' tag, which grouped him alongside India's Virat Kohli, Australia's Steve Smith, and England's Joe Root as four of the finest batters of their generation. He described their parallel careers and years of competing against each other as a "quite unique" experience. Williamson retired from international cricket in June this year after a 16-year career, finishing as New Zealand's highest run-scorer with 19,346 runs, including 9,515 in Tests. Kohli also retired from Test cricket in 2025 with 9,230 runs, while Smith (11,003) and Root (14,278) continue to play the longest format.

Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Williamson said he never attached much importance to the tag, although it was frequently brought up during their careers. Looking back, however, he felt that sharing a generation with three other leading batters and representing their respective countries was something special.

"I never thought anything about it. You'd hear it often because it would get put in front of you, but in some ways, now that I've finished, it feels unique. Not because of the numbers, but because we had quite parallel careers and actually got to know each other. Everybody did it differently while representing their respective countries. I look back on it not with pride in the tag or anything like that, but because there was a moment in time when we competed against each other for so long. I played with Rooty (Joe Root) at Yorkshire, Virat and I go back to the Under-19 days, and Smudge... It's just quite unique," he said.

The 'Fab Four' tag was coined by late New Zealand cricket legend Martin Crowe in 2014, when he identified Kohli, Smith, Root, and Williamson as four young batters with the potential to shape the future of international cricket.

Reflecting on his association with the other three batters, Williamson said he had spent considerable time with Kohli and Root, while his interactions with Smith had been comparatively limited. He also highlighted how each of them had a distinct personality and approach to the game.

"I mean, largely they're all quite different. I've spent quite a bit of time with Virat and Rooty, and a little bit with Smudge over the years, but yeah, more so with some than others," he said.

Williamson further said he admired the way all three approached their cricket, adding that his focus throughout his career remained on his responsibilities to the team rather than on individual comparisons.

"They're all different characters, but I loved watching them and how they went about things. I admired the way they did it. Personally, I always came back to my job and the team," he said.

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