Williamson Reflects on the ‘Fab Four’ Comparison with Kohli, Root and Smith

Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has spoken candidly about being linked with the “Fab Four” label that grouped him alongside India’s Virat Kohli, England’s Joe Root and Australia’s Steve Smith during a period of Test cricket dominance.

Williamson described the experience of competing against those three over many years as “quite unique”, a phrase he repeatedly used when reflecting on the significance of that era. He made clear that the label never became a preoccupation for him during his playing days.

“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,” Williamson said on the Stick to Cricket Podcast.

The personal connections he highlighted added depth to the grouping, going well beyond statistics or rankings. His history with Root at Yorkshire and his long‑standing association with Kohli dating back to Under‑19 days gave the “Fab Four” label a human dimension that he now clearly values.

How well did Williamson know his Fab Four peers off the field?

While commentators often lumped the quartet together, Williamson acknowledged that his relationships with each of the three varied considerably in depth. He shared a dressing‑room with Root at Yorkshire and had known Kohli since age‑group cricket, which naturally made those two bonds closer than his connection with Smith.

“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.

These differing degrees of familiarity did not diminish his respect for any of the four. Their bonds were shaped by circumstance, shared tours and overlapping county stints rather than any deliberate grouping.

What did Williamson admire most about Kohli, Root and Smith?

Beyond the personal ties, Williamson spoke about what he genuinely appreciated when watching his three contemporaries play for their respective nations. He framed his admiration as observation rather than rivalry, emphasising that his own focus always returned to New Zealand’s needs rather than any external comparison.

“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,”Williamson said.

That outlook captures the essence of how Williamson approached the Fab Four era. He valued each player’s contribution individually while keeping his own identity and team responsibilities at the centre of everything he did throughout his international career.

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