There are eras in cricket defined not by one player, but by a rivalry—challenging, respectful, often unspoken—that elevates everyone involved. In the modern game, that rivalry has played out between four towering figures: Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root, and Kane Williamson. This celebrated quartet, dubbed the “Fab 4,” haven’t just dominated batting charts across formats; they’ve defined what excellence looks like in an age brimming with talent, pressure, and relentless schedule.
As a former professional cricketer and analyst rooted deeply in the global circuits, I’ve had the privilege of watching these players rise—not just through numbers, but moments. Dressing rooms whisper stories, coaches murmur admiration, and bowlers… well, bowlers prepare differently when one of the Fab 4 is on strike.
This is not just another statistical comparison. This is a masterclass in how four vastly different players, shaped by wildly contrasting conditions and cricketing cultures, ended up chasing the same summit with unique climbs.
Who Are the Fab 4 Cricketers?
The term “Fab 4” cricket usually refers to:
- Virat Kohli (India)
- Steve Smith (Australia)
- Joe Root (England)
- Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
Each brings a distinctive style:
- Kohli, flamboyant and fierce, thrives on emotion.
- Smith, idiosyncratic yet unrelenting, defies textbook norms.
- Root, elegant and wristy, operates with quiet resilience.
- Williamson, philosophical and balanced, sees batting as art.
They aren’t mere statisticians’ darlings—they are commanders of tempo, mood, and pressure.
Fab 4 Batting Stats Across Formats
Let’s begin with the cold facts before we unpack the warm brilliance.
Test Cricket: The Arena of Grit
| Player | Matches | Runs | Average | Hundreds | 50s | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 113 | 8848 | 49.15 | 29 | 30 | 254* |
| Steve Smith | 104 | 9474 | 58.61 | 32 | 39 | 239 |
| Joe Root | 137 | 11998 | 50.89 | 31 | 60 | 254 |
| Kane Williamson | 100 | 8743 | 54.89 | 32 | 34 | 251 |
Smith in Tests is a cryptic crossword puzzle—but once solved, there’s no stopping him. Williamson is the philosopher-king. Root, reinvented after captaincy, owns the English summer like no one else. Kohli‘s peak between 2015 and 2018 remains, for many, the best four-year run by a batsman in the modern era.
ODI Cricket: Where Chase and Flair Collide
| Player | Matches | Runs | Average | SR | Hundreds | 50s | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 289 | 13848 | 58.67 | 93.58 | 50 | 70 | 183 |
| Steve Smith | 150 | 5395 | 44.02 | 88.98 | 12 | 31 | 164 |
| Joe Root | 164 | 6646 | 49.36 | 86.94 | 16 | 36 | 133* |
| Kane Williamson | 165 | 6554 | 47.42 | 81.11 | 13 | 42 | 148 |
In ODIs, it’s Kohli who becomes king. A master of the chase, his eyes light up under the lights. Smith’s adaptability is underrated, as seen in his World Cup performances. Root holds the anchor, and Williamson’s poise in crunch games, like the World Cup finals, is stuff of epic.
T20Is: The Rarest Match Format Consistency
| Player | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 50+ Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 117 | 4037 | 51.75 | 137.96 | 37 |
| Steve Smith | 63 | 1095 | 25.12 | 125.21 | 4 |
| Joe Root | 32 | 893 | 35.72 | 126.31 | 5 |
| Kane Williamson | 87 | 2464 | 33.10 | 123.40 | 17 |
T20I cricket doesn’t lend itself easily to consistency. But Kohli carved a place at the top with unmatched consistency—his T20I average and number of 50+ scores are simply outrageous. Williamson remains the tactical adjuster, reading scenarios better than most captains ever could.
Fab 4 in ICC Tournaments: Pressure Cookers
Pressure changes people. Some shy away, some simmer. The Fab 4? They often simmer into steel.
Key Fab Four Records in ICC Tournaments
| Player | Notable Tournaments | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | ICC T20 & ODI World Cups | Highest run-getter in multiple editions |
| Steve Smith | Test Championship, WC | Big knocks in knockouts |
| Joe Root | ODI WC Top 5 Run-scorers | Anchored England’s 2019 WC triumph |
| Kane Williamson | Test Championship, WC | Player of Tournament in two editions |
Williamson’s captaincy and grit, especially in tournament finals, set a gold standard for composure. Smith’s hundreds in ICC knockouts have turned matches. Kohli delivers not just knocks, but moments—punches heard beyond boundaries. Root’s ability to adjust his gears, often hitting counter-attacks at perfect time, shaped England’s revival.
Performance in Foreign Conditions: Touring Titans
One of the true litmus tests of greatness is how a player performs away from home.
Fab 4 Away Test Averages
| Player | Away Avg | Notable Tours |
|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 45.23 | 5 Test tons in Australia & Eng |
| Steve Smith | 58.98 | Dominant in England, SL, India |
| Joe Root | 46.16 | Tons in SA, Sri Lanka, India |
| Kane Williamson | 51.24 | Sensational in UAE vs Pakistan |
Smith’s genius in the 2019 Ashes in England—774 runs in 4 Tests—is almost mythical. Kohli’s 2018 campaign in England remains a career-defining feat. Williamson’s composure in Asian conditions is exquisite. Root’s double centuries in Asia displayed an evolved avatar post-captaincy.
Playing Styles: Contrasts of Brilliance
Virat Kohli – The Emotional Engine
Kohli doesn’t just play a cover drive—he roars after it. His passion is palpable, and it bleeds into his batting. High chase averages, staggering hundreds, and the hunger to dominate every contest—Kohli redefined intent-driven cricket.
Steve Smith – The Freak Genius
He bats like he’s hacking the game from within. Unorthodox trigger movements, exaggerated shuffles, but the moment the bowler pitches it up—it’s gone through mid-wicket. He isn’t pretty, but Smith is effective in a way few have ever been.
Joe Root – The Technician
The only pure batsman among England’s power-hitters in the middle order, Root is classical purity. The way he balances aggression and control especially in subcontinent, suggests a batting brain constantly rewiring.
Kane Williamson – The Touch Artist
You swing wide, Kane taps. You bowl short, Kane flays it with finesse. Quiet, composed, measured—he watches post-match interviews like he watches a tricky leggie. He’s not the loudest voice, but often the weightiest.
Is Babar Azam Part of the Fab 4? Fab 5?
This debate flutters on every cricket fan’s lips. Babar Azam has the class. The stats. The aesthetic. His performances in ODIs and T20Is mirror early Kohli—and sometimes even outdo. But Test match consistency away from subcontinent will be his final exam.
Fab 4 or Fab 5? The door isn’t closed. It’s creaking open.
The Impact of Captaincy
Three of the Fab 4 have captained their nations, and all with different consequences:
- Kohli: Fierce leader, transforming India’s pace attack and fitness culture.
- Smith: Loved by players, though marred by the sandpaper scandal.
- Root: Carried the baggage of England’s transition until it wore him out.
- Williamson: Tactical sage, calm under fire, wise beyond years.
But did the burden affect performances? For Kohli and Root, yes. Smith bounced back post-ban like nothing happened. Williamson turned captaincy into a meditative art.
Fab 4 Cricket Records vs Spin and Pace
| Player | Avg vs Spin | Avg vs Pace | Strength Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kohli | 64.33 | 47.28 | Supreme against spin in Asia |
| Smith | 54.40 | 59.03 | Master at nullifying fast bowlers |
| Root | 62.54 | 42.87 | Sweeps spinners into submission |
| Williamson | 61.88 | 46.21 | Feasts on both with elegance |
Kohli stepping out to spinners is iconic. Smith wiping away pacers with childlike glee—unsettling yet genius. Root’s recent sweepathons vs Sri Lanka and India reasserted his class. Williamson? Close your eyes and that late cut will still find third man.
Fab 4 Cricketers 2024: Where Do They Stand Today?
In a game that barely lets legends catch their breath, the Fab 4 are still very much relevant. While newer megastars like Babar Azam, Marnus Labuschagne, and Shubman Gill are rising fast, none have yet matched the sheer longevity, consistency, and multi-format brilliance of this quartet.
Their ICC rankings remain strong. Their presence at the crease still shifts the mood of matches. Their hunger? If anything, it’s grown sharper with age.
Best Among the Fab 4 Batsmen?
A question that refuses a definitive answer—but let’s try.
- Pure Test genius: Steve Smith.
- All-format titan: Virat Kohli.
- Most improved: Joe Root.
- Captain’s gold: Kane Williamson.
But cricket isn’t math. Kohli’s 82* vs Pakistan, Smith’s twin masterpieces at Lord’s, Root’s gallop in Galle, Williamson’s serenity under fire in the World Test Championship Final—these aren’t numbers. They’re symphonies for those who know.
Final Thoughts: The Fab 4 Legacy
The Fab 4 rewrote how modern batting is judged. In an era saturated with cricket, franchise noise, and media razzmatazz, they stayed loyal to their crafts. They evolved. They stumbled and rose again.
When we look back on this era 20 years from now, it won’t just be highlights and averages. It will be the body language when Kohli lined up a chase. The eerie silence when Smith scooped backward point with a flick. The delicate Root dab past gully. The Williamson pause before a cover drive.
We may debate who was best. But one thing’s certain: they made each other better. And they made cricket heavenly.
Key Takeaways
- Fab 4 cricket defines perseverance, adaptability, and class in a high-pressure cricketing world.
- Each of the Fab 4 brought different virtues—technical brilliance, mental strength, elegance, innovation.
- While stats offer clarity, their intangible impact on modern cricket is even more telling.
- The next generation (Babar Azam and others) is knocking, but the Fab 4’s legacy remains unmatched.
- Even as formats shift and cricket evolves, the Fab 4 will be remembered as the technocratic poets of their age.
In every realm of sport, there comes a time when artists walk among mortals, bending rules with brushes and blades. In cricket, that time was written with the bat—by four men who changed the language of the game forever.
The Fab 4 were not just performers. They were the game.
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Angad Mehra
- Angad Mehra is an avid cricket analyst and sports writer who pays attention to betting patterns and match specifics. Angad has years of experience writing, covering both Indian and international cricket. He explains stats, odds, and strategies in a clear, simple manner that resonates with fans. Readers trust Angad’s articles to keep them ahead of the game whether on or off the field. Off the field, you can find him either tracking live scores ball by ball or debating IPL lineup changes.
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