Cricket is one of the most popular sports globally, with its fanbase expanding rapidly even in non-cricketing nations. India, England, New Zealand, and Australia have produced modern greats like Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson — the “Fab Four.”
Each has delivered consistent, match-winning performances over the years. Root’s recent form against India pushed him past multiple records, making him the second-highest Test run-scorer after Sachin Tendulkar.
With Kohli retiring from Test and T20Is and Smith from ODIs, only Williamson and Root now play all formats. This article breaks down their updated stats and achievements to see what makes them the standout batsmen of this era.
When Was Fab Four Term Coined?
The term “Fab Four” was coined by former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe in 2014. He also developed Cricket Max during the mid-1990s as a faster and exciting version of cricket. This was later adopted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and built the format of T20s.
Crowe predicted that the Fab Fours would dominate in world cricket in the next few years. His prediction came true as these four cricketers have had a dominant run in the last few years.
Crowe’s prediction was based on the fact that Kohli, Root, Smith, and Williamson were some of the most talented cricketers who debuted during that time. The term “Fab Four” became really popular and was used in cricketing circles and media to refer to these four cricketers.
Fab Four Players Stats And Comparison
Let’s take a comprehensive look at the statistics of these four cricketing giants across all formats of the game.
The following table provides a snapshot of their performances in Tests, One Day Internationals (ODIs), Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), and the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Fab Four Stats In ODIs
One Day Internationals have been a format where these four players have shown their true mettle. Here’s a closer look at their ODI performances:
Batting:
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 308 | 296 | 47 | 14557 | 183 | 58.46 | 15543 | 93.65 | 53 | 76 | 1356 | 164 | 167 | 0 |
| Kane Williamson | 175 | 167 | 18 | 7256 | 148 | 48.69 | 8893 | 81.59 | 15 | 47 | 667 | 60 | 76 | 0 |
| Steven Smith | 170 | 154 | 20 | 5800 | 164 | 43.28 | 6669 | 86.96 | 12 | 35 | 521 | 58 | 90 | 0 |
| Joe Root | 186 | 175 | 24 | 7330 | 166* | 48.54 | 8362 | 87.65 | 19 | 43 | 595 | 53 | 89 | 0 |
Bowling:
| Player | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 308 | 50 | 662 | 680 | 5 | 1/13 | 1/13 | 136.00 | 6.16 | 132.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kane Williamson | 175 | 65 | 1467 | 1310 | 37 | 4/22 | 4/22 | 35.40 | 5.35 | 39.6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steven Smith | 170 | 40 | 1076 | 971 | 28 | 3/16 | 3/16 | 34.67 | 5.41 | 38.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Root | 186 | 77 | 1755 | 1732 | 28 | 3/52 | 3/52 | 61.85 | 5.92 | 62.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fab Four Stats In Test Cricket
Test cricket, often considered the ultimate test of a player’s skill and temperament, has seen these four players shine brightly. Here’s how they stack up in the longest format:
Batting:
| Player | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli (Set 1) | 123 | 210 | 13 | 9230 | 254* | 46.85 | 16608 | 55.57 | 30 | 31 | 1027 | 30 | 121 | 0 |
| Kane Williamson | 106 | 188 | 17 | 9337 | 251 | 54.60 | 18043 | 51.74 | 33 | 38 | 1038 | 27 | 90 | 0 |
| Steven Smith | 121 | 216 | 27 | 10580 | 239 | 55.97 | 19664 | 53.80 | 36 | 44 | 1152 | 66 | 210 | 0 |
| Joe Root | 160 | 292 | 25 | 13704 | 262 | 51.32 | 23816 | 57.54 | 40 | 66 | 1468 | 46 | 213 | 0 |
Bowling:
| Player | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 123 | 11 | 175 | 84 | 0 | – | – | – | 2.88 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kane Williamson | 106 | 67 | 2151 | 1207 | 30 | 4/44 | 4/44 | 40.23 | 3.36 | 71.7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steven Smith | 121 | 62 | 1470 | 1008 | 19 | 3/18 | 4/83 | 53.05 | 4.11 | 77.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Root | 160 | 166 | 6206 | 3477 | 73 | 5/8 | 5/33 | 47.63 | 3.36 | 85.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Fab Four Stats In T20I
In the shortest format of the game, these players have adapted their skills to meet the demands of fast-paced cricket:
Batting:
| Format | Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 125 | 117 | 31 | 4188 | 122* | 48.69 | 3056 | 137.04 | 1 | 38 | 369 | 124 | 54 | 0 |
| Kane Williamson | 93 | 90 | 13 | 2575 | 95 | 33.44 | 2092 | 123.08 | 0 | 18 | 245 | 58 | 45 | 0 |
| Steven Smith | 67 | 55 | 11 | 1094 | 90 | 24.86 | 872 | 125.45 | 0 | 5 | 96 | 26 | 41 | 0 |
| Joe Root | 32 | 30 | 5 | 893 | 90* | 35.72 | 707 | 126.30 | 0 | 5 | 92 | 16 | 18 | 0 |
Bowling:
| Player | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 125 | 13 | 152 | 204 | 4 | 1/13 | 1/13 | 51.00 | 8.05 | 38.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kane Williamson | 93 | 12 | 118 | 164 | 6 | 2/16 | 2/16 | 27.33 | 8.33 | 19.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steven Smith | 67 | 17 | 291 | 377 | 17 | 3/20 | 3/20 | 22.17 | 7.77 | 17.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Root | 32 | 9 | 84 | 139 | 6 | 2/9 | 2/9 | 23.16 | 9.92 | 14.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fab Four In IPL
The Indian Premier League, one of the most competitive T20 leagues in the world, has seen varied participation from these four players. As of Dec 2026, after IPL 2025 season, their stats reflect different journeys in the tournament.
Batting:
| Player | Mat | Inn | Runs | HS | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 267 | 259 | 8661 | 113* | 39.54 | 132.65 | 8 | 63 | 771 | 291 |
| Kane Williamson | 79 | 77 | 2128 | 89 | 35.46 | 125.61 | 0 | 18 | 185 | 64 |
| Joe Root | 3 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 10.00 | 66.66 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Steve Smith | 103 | 93 | 2485 | 101 | 34.51 | 128.09 | 1 | 11 | 225 | 60 |
Bowling:
| Player | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Best Bowling | Average | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 267 | 26 | 4 | 2/25 | 92.0 | 8.8 |
| Kane Williamson | 79 | 2 | 0 | 0/7 | – | 10.33 |
| Joe Root | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0/14 | – | 7.0 |
| Steven Smith | 103 | 1 | 0 | 0/5 | – | 0.0 |
Fab Four Stats: Career Highlights
This section delves into the career highlights of each player, showcasing the achievements that have propelled them to cricketing stardom. We’ll explore the key moments and performances that have defined their careers and made them integral parts of the Fab Four.
1. Virat Kohli: The Run Machine
Kohli was born on November 5, 1988, in New Delhi, India. He has one of India’s best batters and has scored a bulk of runs since making his debut. Before his international debut, Kohli led the Under-19 team to win the Under-19 World Cup in 2008. He announced his retirement from Test cricket recently, and it marked the end of a legendary career.
Career Highlights:
- Became India’s highest run-scorer in the Champions Trophy in 2025 semi-final against Australia.
- Fastest to reach 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, and 11,000 runs in ODIs
- The only player to average over 50 in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is simultaneously
- Most double centuries as a captain in Test cricket (7)
- Fastest to reach 20,000 international runs
- Most runs in a single IPL season (973 in 2016)
- ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2017 and 2018
Kohli is also one of the most successful Indian captains in Test cricket. Under his captaincy, the Indian team delivered some of their memorable performances in overseas Test matches. His fitness regime redefined the standards in modern cricket. Kohli has a highly successful career in white-ball cricket and often helps India chase complex totals easily. He is referred to as “The Chase Master” due to his ability to finish matches for the team. He is also one of the most handsome cricketers in the world.
2. Kane Williamson: The Calm Anchor
Williamson was born on August 8, 1990, in Tauranga, New Zealand. He is one of the most technically sound batters of this generation and his calm approach has helped New Zealand dominate in some crucial matches.
Career Highlights:
- First New Zealand batter to cross 19,000 international runs.
- Led New Zealand to the 2019 ICC World Cup final and 2021 ICC World Test Championship victory.
- Scored centuries against all Test-playing nations.
- Youngest New Zealand player to score 3,000 Test runs.
- Most Test centuries for New Zealand (33)
- Named Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in the World for 2015
Williamson led the Blackcaps in 40 Test matches and helped the team win the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship. It was only the second ICC title that New Zealand has won.
3. Joe Root: The Classical Technician
Joe Root, born on December 30, 1990, in Sheffield, England, has established himself as one of England’s greatest batsmen. His classical technique and ability to play long innings have made him the backbone of England’s batting lineup.
Joe Root has continued rewriting Test cricket history. After his latest run of performances, he has now reached 40 Test centuriese, with the milestone ton coming in the 2nd Ashes Test at The Gabba, where he finally brought up his first-ever Test hundred on Australian soil.
Earlier, during the India series, Root had already broken several records — becoming the non-wicketkeeper with the most catches in Test cricket and the first player to score 3000 Test runs against India. His consistency and longevity keep pushing him into territory few players have ever reached.
Career Highlights:
- Most Test runs for England (13543 as of August 2025)
- Fastest English batsman to reach 3,000, 5,000, and 6,000 Test runs,
- Led England to a historic 3-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka in 2018
- Named as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year in 2014
- ICC Test Cricketer of the Year in 2021
- Became the top Test scorer for England in October, 2024
- Highest Run Scorer across all formats for England
- 1st to score 3000 Test runs against India
- Most catches in test cricket (211 Catches)
Root is one of the best batters in current times who can dominate spinners. This is the reason he has scored a lot of runs in subcontinental conditions. His exemplary performance in Asian conditions came against Pakistan in 2024. During the first Test England vs Pakistan series, Root made his highest Test score (262).
4. Steven Smith: The Unconventional Genius
Born on June 2, 1989, in Sydney, Australia, Steven Smith started his career as a leg-spinner but transformed into one of the world’s best batsmen. His unorthodox technique and incredible hand-eye coordination have made him a nightmare for bowlers worldwide.
Steven Smith was born on June 2, 1989, in Sydney, Australia. Smith started his cricketing career as a leg-spinner but moulded his game at the right time to become the world’s best batsman.
Career Highlights:
- Second-highest Test batting average (56.97) among batsmen with more than 6,000 runs for Australia.
- Fastest to reach 7,000 Test runs in terms of innings.
- Won the ICC Test Player of the Year award in 2015 and 2017
- Scored 774 runs in the 2019 Ashes series, the highest in a series in this century.
- Only player to win the ICC Test Player of the Year award twice.
- Led Australia to the 2015 ICC World Cup victory
Steve Smith announced his retirement from One-Day International cricket following Australia’s four-wicket loss to India in the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final in Dubai. He will continue to play Test cricket and T20 Internationals, with a possible eye on participating in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where T20 cricket will debut.
Smith’s ability to consistently score runs, especially in Test cricket, has drawn comparisons with the legendary Don Bradman. His comeback from a one-year ban due to the ball-tampering scandal showcased his mental strength and dedication to the sport.
Each of these players has had their fair share of success at the international level. Root is currently enjoying a dominant run in Test cricket, while Kohli has been one of the best white-ball batters in recent times. Williamson and Smith have enjoyed a lot of success in Test cricket and ODIs during their peak. Although Kohli has retired from Test and T20Is, while Smith has retired from ODIs, they still have a lot to contribute to the game. Root and Williamson might not be regular in the T20Is for their country, but they still have a lot of cricket left in them. Their dominance in world cricket has inspired a lot of young cricketers and the same is likely to happen even if they hang on their boots from all formats one day.
Who Leads The Pack In The Fab Four Competition?
Determining a clear leader among the Fab Four is a challenging task, as each player excels in different aspects of the game. However, we can draw some conclusions based on their statistics:
- Test Cricket: Steven Smith leads with a batting average of 56.02, followed by Kane Williamson (54.88), Joe Root (51.29), and Virat Kohli (46.85).
- ODIs: Virat Kohli is the clear leader with the highest average in ODI (57.88), most runs (14181), and centuries (51).
- T20Is: Virat Kohli again leads with the highest average (48.7) and most runs (4,188).
- IPL: Virat Kohli dominates with 8661 runs, though his participation has been more extensive than the others.
In terms of overall consistency across formats, Virat Kohli seems to have an edge. However, each player has their strengths:
- Virat Kohli: Exceptional in ODIs and T20Is, with strong Test performances.
- Steven Smith: Dominates in Test cricket with the highest average.
- Joe Root: Most prolific in Test cricket with the highest number of runs and centuries.
- Kane Williamson: Consistently high averages across formats, especially in Tests.
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Conclusion: Root Leads in Test & Kohli Rules All Other Formats in Fab 4
The Fab Four have not just lived up to Crowe’s prediction but have exceeded it as well in some respects. They have been a dominant force since their debut and continue to rule the game.
Each of these four players has their strengths. No one comes close to Kohli when we talk about white-ball cricket and the ability to finish the game. Root has been exceptionally well in Test matches in the last few years. Smith has enjoyed a great run in Test matches as well as ODIs and is the only player among the four who has won the ODI World Cup twice. Williamson has been an all-format player since his debut and has been one of the most successful captains as well.
The statistical analysis of their records presents their achievements, but it’s the impact that they have had on the game of cricket that really matters. They have been the reason behind the dream of a lot of cricketers to play the game of cricket at the highest level. The Fab Four have truly been some of the best ambassadors of the game, and they are irreplaceable.
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