Kane Williamson announced his retirement from international cricket. Long before the late Martin Crowe coined the term Fab Four in 2014 for Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, the quartet were already establishing themselves. Crowe’s label gave fans a lasting reference point that fueled debate over the next decade and a half about who ranked as the greatest. Their careers became so linked that discussing one player always brought in the others. Kohli’s white-ball records stand above the rest, yet Test cricket offered the most compelling comparisons because greatness there unfolds over years. Each player brought a distinct style: Kohli with intensity, Smith with unorthodox brilliance, Root with consistent volume of runs, and Williamson with quiet stability that strengthened New Zealand cricket. With Williamson becoming the first to retire, questions arise about his place among the four, though his career merits separate reflection. The Fab Four finished with remarkably close Test averages. Smith leads at 56.06, followed by Williamson at 54.06, with Root and Kohli close behind and less than ten runs separating the highest and lowest. After 25 Tests, Williamson had the fewest runs among them. Over time the differences narrowed as he steadily accumulated without dramatic peaks. In matches New Zealand won, he averaged 81.1, well ahead of the others. He also scored five fourth-innings hundreds, joint-most in Test history, with an away average of 45.41 compared to 65.76 at home.
