The era of the Fab Four remains one of the most memorable periods in modern cricket, with Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson competing at the highest level and building their own legacies. Now, after retiring from international cricket, former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has shared his thoughts on what made this phase of his career so special.
Kane Williamson revealed that he never paid much attention to the comparisons with Virat Kohli, Joe Root and Steve Smith while he was playing. However, looking back after retirement, he realises how unusual and special it was to share such similar career journeys with three of the world’s leading batters.
The 36-year-old announced his retirement from international cricket in June, bringing an end to an impressive 16-year career. He finished as New Zealand’s highest run-scorer across international cricket, with 19,346 runs, including 9,515 in Test matches.
Virat Kohli also retired from Test cricket in 2025, finishing his career with 9,230 runs in the format. Meanwhile, Steve Smith and Joe Root continue to play Test cricket, having scored 11,003 and 14,278 runs, respectively.
Speaking on a podcast, Kane Williamson explained that the Fab Four comparisons were often discussed during his playing days but he did not think too much about them at the time. It was only after stepping away from international cricket that he began to appreciate how unique their journeys had been.
He also pointed out that the four players developed their careers in different ways while representing their respective countries. For him, the most special part was not being associated with a famous label or comparing statistics, but having the opportunity to compete against the same group of players for such a long period.
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Kane Williamson also shared that he had personal connections with some of the players beyond international cricket. He played alongside Joe Root at Yorkshire, while his association with Virat Kohli goes back to their Under-19 cricket days. These connections made the experience even more memorable for him.
The Fab Four term was introduced by former New Zealand cricket great Martin Crowe in 2014. He grouped Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson together as four promising young batters who he believed could shape the future of international cricket.
Over the years, all four went on to establish themselves as major figures in the game, making the Fab Four comparison a defining talking point in modern cricket. For Kane Williamson, however, the real value of that era lies in the shared journey, friendships and years of competition rather than the label itself.
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