Ranking the Fab 4 following Virat Kohli's retirement from Test cricket
Fab 4, the term coined by the late great Martin Crowe in 2014, included four emerging batters in the form of Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root. It proved to be a visionary insight as all four of them went on to dominate world cricket over the next decade.
"All four will reach peak form in a few years' time, and then the real battle will commence as to who will be the No. 1 batsman in the world," Crowe had mentioned in his column for ESPN Cricinfo.
All four of them have been talismans for their respective nations for a prolonged period, and although their best is arguably past them, they have put in an astronomical amount of work to be categorized as modern-day greats, and a yardstick for the younger generation's exploits.
On that note, let us rank the Fab 4 following Virat Kohli's retirement from Test cricket.
#4 Virat Kohli
Already topping the Fab 4 rankings in ODIs and T20Is, at one time, Kohli potentially topping the list in Tests as well would have been a no-brainer call. But, a free fall for the ages takes him quite far from his peers, who are still going strong, and are bound to achieve a lot more in their twilight.
In no way does Kohli's landslide drop in his final few years tarnish his legacy. He still remains one of the greats, but viewing the Fab 4 and their batting exploits in isolation, there is no place for Kohli except the last spot.
A decent start, and a peak for the ages, was met with an equally unbelievable spiral. Before the COVID-19 phase, Kohli was neck-to-neck with the other members of the Fab 4, if not ahead of some of them.
But, ending with less than 10,000 runs and an average well short of 50.00, Kohli has lost ground on statistical terms against the other three members of the Fab 4. Although he might have contributed more as a captain and more to the format than the others, that does not spare him from the wooden spoon.
#3 Kane Williamson
New Zealand's greatest ever batter by a fair distance, Williamson is on the road to 10,000 runs, that too at a stunning average. Being a player from outside the Big 3 may have acted as a disadvantage for the star batter at times, but to his credit, he has made the most of his chances.
Perhaps the most graceful batter on the list, Williamson has been a dependable batter for New Zealand since ages, holding onto the No. 3 to be the backbone of the batting unit. The fact that he guided the Blackcaps to the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) title, and averaged 61.20 in the cycle, is one of the biggest red-ball feats in recent times.
Williamson also has 33 hundreds to his name, 14 more than the second-ranked Ross Taylor. A generational batter, who could still go a very long way, given that Test cricket is his favored format, has been a sight to behold. He has scored 9276 runs in 105 Tests at an average of 54.88.
#2 Joe Root
A run-scoring machine, who is enjoying yet another peak in his twilight years, could very well be the leading run-scorer in the format by the time he ends his career. Playing an astonishing 152 Tests despite being the youngest out of the Fab 4, Root has made the most by scoring 12,972 runs at an average of 50.87.
He is rising up the ranks after already being the fifth-leading run-scorer. The manner with which Joe Root has reinvented himself since his slump and final days as captain is a massive template for struggling players. He has been a different batter altogether in the past few years, and is the most in-form player in the Fab 4 at present.
But his greatness goes beyond intimidating numbers when compared to his peers. Arguably one of the greatest batters of spin among players outside the subcontinent, Root holds an average of over 40 in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Despite a shaky record in Australia, which will be put to the test later this year, he has excelled in home conditions, as well as in South Africa and the West Indies. With the rest of the Fab 4 members, there has been signs of decline, but Root is still performing at the highest possible level, and if he can prolong this run of form and hunger, he may well end at the top of the list when the Fab 4 call it a day.
#1 Steve Smith
If there was a batter tailor-made for Test cricket in modern times, it is Steve Smith. He makes up for his slightly unorthodox manner of batting with his insatiable appetite for runs, a level of consistency almost unheard of, and an inane ability to step up when it matters.
Smith endured a slight jitter amid David Warner's retirement, and his brief stint as an opener, but he has returned to his best, and is still going strong, despite closing in on being 36 years. His longevity is another box ticked as he has maintained almost the same level since his switch to No. 4.
He held an average of 70 across six out of seven years from 2014 onwards, which is a peak almost unheard of, and almost impossible to replicate. Even after the COVID-19 phase, he has an average of 50 in three out of five years.
Dominant in pace and bouncy conditions of Australia and South Africa (average of 59.70 and 41.10, respectively), masterful in the tricky English conditions (average of 55.00), and one of the rare batters to have an average exceeding fifty in three major subcontinent nations in India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, there is more to go on when it comes to Smith's greatness.
After 116 Tests, Smith has recorded 10271 runs at an average of 56.74. He has scored 36 Test hundreds, which is only five behind Ricky Ponting's record tally of 41. Currently the 13th-highest run-getter in Test cricket history, he is on the path to break into the top 10, with the landmark well within sight.