"Will rank Virat Kohli at No.4" – Rikki Clarke rates the modern batting 'Fab 4'
England all-rounder Rikki Clarke has ranked the illustrious ‘Fab 4’ of this current generation according to his preference.
Rating Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, Virat Kohli and Joe Root, Clarke picked the New Zealand captain at the No.1 spot, while placing the Indian skipper in fourth place.
Kane Williamson dominates the ICC Test Rankings for batsmen, while Virat Kohli continues to slip. The 32-year-old has not registered an international century in the past 15 months.
In an exclusive interview with journalist Indranil Basu for SK Live, Rikki Clarke was asked to rank the four great batsmen according to their prowess across formats.
“I think Kane Williamson at this point of time is No.1. Steve Smith will be my No.2, Joe Root at No.3 and Virat Kohli at fourth. That’s how they are also placed in the Test rankings too,” said Rikki Clarke, who played two Tests and 20 ODIs for England between 2003 and 2006.
However, the Surrey all-rounder called all four ‘incredible cricketers’ and added:
“All four are incredible cricketers and are a massive influence on their sides. These four are the most prized wickets for any opposition camp.”
Joe Root’s sensational form with the bat has propelled him to the No.3 spot in the ICC Test Rankings for batsmen, while Steve Smith clings on to the No.2 spot. Virat Kohli has slipped from No.1 to No.5 within two months.
Virat Kohli bosses across formats
However, Virat Kohli remains the No.1 batsman in ODIs. Kane Williamson, Joe Root and Steve Smith are ranked at 8, 13 and 16 respectively.
When it comes to T20Is, only Kohli finds himself in the top 10. While the Indian captain is at the No.7 spot, Williamson is at 23 and Smith at 47.
Root, who struggles to find a place in the English T20I setup, is tied at the 59th spot with Kuwait’s Ravija Sandaruwan.
Rikki Clarke’s full interview