London [UK], November 10 : 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, describing 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 the experience of sharing a generation with three other leading batters and representing their respective countries was something special.
“I never thought anything about it, like... as in you'd hear it often because it would get sort of put in front of you, but like in some ways, now finishing it is unique. Not numbers, but to have quite parallel careers and actually get to know the other fellas, and everybody does it differently, representing their different sort of respective countries. I sort of look back on it, not the tag and pride or anything, but just that there was a moment in time where we competed against each other for so long, played with Rooty (Joe Root) at Yorkshire, Virat and I from under-19s and Smudge… It's just kind of 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 who had 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 their own distinct personality and approach to the game.
“I mean, largely they're all quite different. Kind of spent quite a bit of time with Virat and Rooty, a little bit with Smudge over the years, but yeah, more so 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 towards the team rather than individual comparisons.
“They're all different characters, but I just, I loved watching them and how they went about it. Admired the way that they did it. I would personally just always come back to your job and the team,” he said.