The Fab 4 in cricket refers to Virat Kohli (India), Joe Root (England), Steve Smith (Australia), and Kane Williamson (New Zealand). Former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe coined this term in 2014 to describe the four most talented young batters of the generation.
Together, these four have scored over 200 international centuries and nearly 80,000 international runs across formats. As of June 2026, Root leads the race in Test runs, Kohli dominates ODIs, and Smith holds the highest Test average among the group.
This article breaks down their career stats, records, and current playing status.
Who Are the Fab 4 in Cricket?
Martin Crowe, the legendary New Zealand captain, first used the phrase “Fab Four” in a 2014 column. He predicted that Kohli, Root, Smith, and Williamson would dominate world cricket for the next decade.
Crowe’s prediction turned out to be remarkably accurate. All four batters rose to become captains of their respective national teams and consistently featured in the top 10 of ICC batting rankings across formats.
The term borrows from The Beatles’ “Fab Four” nickname and stuck because these four cricketers debuted around the same time (2010-2012 in Tests) and climbed the rankings in parallel. Over the past 12 years, they have rewritten record books across all three formats.
Fab 4 Career Stats: Overall Comparison
Before diving into format-specific numbers, here is a snapshot of the Fab 4’s combined international career stats across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is as of June 2026.
| Player | Country | Intl Matches | Intl Runs | Intl 100s | Intl 50s | Status (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | India | 559+ | 28,215+ | 85 | 145+ | ODIs & IPL only |
| Joe Root | England | 378+ | 21,927+ | 60 | 114+ | Tests & ODIs |
| Steve Smith | Australia | 358+ | 17,474+ | 49 | 84+ | Tests & BBL |
| Kane Williamson | New Zealand | 376+ | 19,292+ | 48 | 103+ | Tests & ODIs |
Kohli leads the pack in total international runs and centuries, primarily thanks to his extraordinary ODI record. Root, however, has pulled ahead significantly in Test cricket, while Smith boasts the best Test batting average of the group.
Fab 4 in Test Cricket
Test cricket has always been the ultimate measure of a batter’s skill and temperament. Among the Fab 4, Joe Root has been the most prolific run-scorer in this format, thanks partly to England’s heavy Test schedule.
| Player | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 123 | 210 | 9,230 | 46.85 | 30 | 31 | 254* |
| Joe Root | 160+ | 292+ | 13,700+ | 51.32 | 41 | 66 | 262 |
| Steve Smith | 121+ | 216+ | 10,700+ | ~56 | 37 | 44+ | 239 |
| Kane Williamson | 108 | 188 | 9,461 | ~55 | 33 | 38 | 251 |
Key Takeaways From Test Stats
- Joe Root is the clear volume leader with 13,700+ Test runs and 41 centuries. He overtook Alastair Cook as England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer in October 2024. His 41st Test century came at the SCG in January 2026 during the Ashes, which put him level with Ricky Ponting for joint-third on the all-time list behind Sachin Tendulkar (51) and Jacques Kallis (45).
- Steve Smith holds the highest Test batting average among the four, hovering around 56. He crossed the 10,000 Test run landmark in early 2025. Smith’s average would be even higher without the form dips during 2022-2023, though his 2019 Ashes comeback (774 runs at an average of 110.57) remains one of the most remarkable individual series performances in cricket history.
- Kane Williamson has the second-best Test average (~55) despite playing far fewer matches than Root. New Zealand’s limited Test schedule means Williamson has featured in only 108 Tests compared to Root’s 160+. He is New Zealand’s all-time leading Test run-scorer and captained the Blackcaps to the inaugural World Test Championship title in 2021.
- Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket in January 2025, finishing with 9,230 runs and 30 centuries at an average of 46.85. His Test average dipped in the latter half of his career, particularly during the 2020-2023 period when he averaged around 31 across 28 Tests. However, his 254* against South Africa (2019) and his fierce century in Pune against Australia (2017) remain iconic Test knocks.
Fab 4 in ODI Cricket
One Day Internationals have been Virat Kohli’s playground. His ODI numbers are so far ahead of the other three that the comparison almost feels unfair. Here is how they stack up.
| Player | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s | HS | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 311 | 298+ | 14,797 | 58.72 | 54 | 76+ | 183 | 93.65 |
| Joe Root | 186 | 175 | 7,330 | 48.54 | 19 | 43 | 166* | 87.65 |
| Kane Williamson | 175 | 167 | 7,256 | 48.69 | 15 | 47 | 148 | 81.59 |
| Steve Smith | 170 | 154 | 5,800 | 43.28 | 12 | 35 | 164 | 86.96 |
Why Kohli Dominates ODIs
Kohli’s 54 ODI centuries is a world record. No other player in the history of 50-over cricket has scored more hundreds. He surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record of 49 ODI centuries during the 2023 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
His ODI average of 58.72 is the best among batters with 10,000+ ODI runs. What makes Kohli’s ODI record truly special is his mastery in run-chases. He has scored over 30 of his 54 ODI centuries while chasing, earning him the well-deserved nickname of the “Chase Master.”
Smith retired from ODIs in March 2025 after Australia’s Champions Trophy semi-final exit. Williamson and Root remain active in the format, though Root’s ODI appearances have reduced as England manage his workload around Tests.
Fab 4 in T20I Cricket
The shortest format has not been the primary battleground for the Fab 4, though Kohli again stands out with numbers that the other three cannot match.
| Player | Matches | Runs | Average | SR | 100s | 50s | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 125 | 4,188 | 48.69 | 137.04 | 1 | 38 | 122* |
| Kane Williamson | 93 | 2,575 | 33.44 | 123.08 | 0 | 18 | 95 |
| Steve Smith | 67 | 1,094 | 24.86 | 125.45 | 0 | 5 | 90 |
| Joe Root | 32 | 893 | 35.72 | 126.30 | 0 | 5 | 90* |
Kohli retired from T20Is after India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados, where he was named Player of the Match in the final. His 4,188 T20I runs at an average of 48.69 are among the highest in T20I history. His only T20I century, 122* against Afghanistan in the 2022 Asia Cup, is widely regarded as one of the greatest T20I innings ever played.
Root, interestingly, has not played a T20I since 2019 and was never a regular part of England’s T20I setup. Smith also fell out of Australia’s T20I plans ahead of the 2024 World Cup, though he has expressed interest in playing at the 2028 Olympics. Williamson retired from T20Is in 2025 to focus on longer formats.
Fab 4 in the IPL
The Indian Premier League has been largely Kohli’s domain among the Fab 4. His loyalty to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) since 2008 and his consistent run-scoring have made him the tournament’s all-time leading run-scorer.
| Player | Matches | Runs | Average | SR | 100s | 50s | HS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 267 | 8,661 | 39.54 | 132.65 | 8 | 63 | 113* |
| Steve Smith | 103 | 2,485 | 34.51 | 128.09 | 1 | 11 | 101 |
| Kane Williamson | 79 | 2,128 | 35.46 | 125.61 | 0 | 18 | 89 |
| Joe Root | 3 | 10 | 10.00 | 66.66 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Kohli’s 8,661 IPL runs include the record-breaking 2016 season when he scored 973 runs in a single edition, a record that still stands. He helped RCB win their first IPL title in 2025, ending an 18-year drought.
Williamson won the Orange Cap with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018 (735 runs) but has not been picked in the IPL since 2024. Smith has played 103 matches across multiple franchises but never quite replicated his international dominance in the IPL. Root’s IPL career stands at just three matches, a surprisingly thin record for a batter of his calibre.
Who Is the Best Among the Fab 4?
This debate has no single answer because each player excels in different areas. The “best” depends on the format and the metric you value most.
| Category | Leader | Key Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Most Test Runs | Joe Root | 13,700+ runs (England’s all-time record) |
| Best Test Average (among Fab 4) | Steve Smith | ~56 (highest post-Bradman era) |
| Most Test Centuries | Joe Root | 41 (joint-3rd all-time) |
| Most ODI Runs | Virat Kohli | 14,797 (2nd highest in ODI history) |
| Most ODI Centuries | Virat Kohli | 54 (all-time world record) |
| Best ODI Average | Virat Kohli | 58.72 (best among 10,000+ run scorers) |
| Most T20I Runs | Virat Kohli | 4,188 runs at avg 48.69 |
| Most Intl Centuries | Virat Kohli | 85 (2nd all-time after Tendulkar) |
| Most IPL Runs | Virat Kohli | 8,661 (all-time IPL record) |
| Best Test Double Hundreds | Kane Williamson | 6 double centuries (NZ record) |
| Fastest to 10,000 Test Runs | Steve Smith | 85 matches (record) |
| WTC Title as Captain | Kane Williamson | Won inaugural WTC (2021) |
Pakistan’s Babar Azam weighed in on this debate in a January 2026 interview with Code Sports. He ranked Kohli as the best across all formats, while placing Root at the top in Tests specifically, ahead of Williamson, Smith, and Kohli.
An ESPNcricinfo analysis from 2024 described the Fab 4 as now standing on “two legs”. Root and Williamson continued to perform at elite levels (Root averaged 75+ and Williamson 73+ in their most recent eight-Test blocks), while Kohli and Smith’s Test form had declined.
Current Status: Who Still Plays What? (June 2026)
As these four enter the twilight phase of their careers, each has made different choices about which formats to prioritize. Here is their current playing status.
| Player | Tests | ODIs | T20Is | IPL/T20 Leagues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | Retired (Jan 2025) | Active | Retired (Jun 2024) | Active (RCB) |
| Joe Root | Active | Active (limited) | Inactive since 2019 | Not playing |
| Steve Smith | Active | Retired (Mar 2025) | Available | BBL (Sixers) |
| Kane Williamson | Active | Active | Retired (2025) | Not in IPL 2026 |
Only Williamson still plays both Tests and ODIs regularly. Root is active in both formats but his ODI appearances are becoming rarer. Kohli’s focus has narrowed entirely to ODIs and the IPL, while Smith is primarily a Test player now. The Fab 4 era, in terms of all four competing across all formats simultaneously, is effectively over.
Final Thoughts: Fab 4 Ruled The Cricketing World Since Decade
The Fab 4 in cricket defined a golden generation of batting that spanned over 15 years. Kohli brought intensity and aggression, Root offered elegance and volume, Smith redefined what an unconventional technique could achieve, and Williamson proved that quiet consistency wins championships.
Their combined record of 240+ international centuries and nearly 80,000 international runs tells the story of an era that cricket fans will not forget anytime soon.
