Cricket’s rich history has been shaped by extraordinary batters who mastered the art of scoring across conditions, formats, and eras. From the classical elegance of Sunil Gavaskar and the fierce dominance of Sir Vivian Richards, to the unmatched consistency of Ricky Ponting and the endurance of Rahul Dravid, each generation has produced a few who stood out across formats.

The evolution of all-format giants: From icons to the Fab four

However, it wasn’t until the 21st century that the concept of an ‘all-format great’ truly took form, as the game diversified into Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. With the rise of limited-overs cricket and the advent of franchise leagues, adapting across formats became a true test of temperament, technique, and timing. While several players found success in one or two forms, only a rare few managed to excel in all three simultaneously.

The likes of Jacques Kallis, Kumar Sangakkara, AB de Villiers and MS Dhoni emerged as torchbearers of this new-age cricketing excellence. But then came a unique quartet, Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith and Joe Root, who not only thrived across formats but sustained elite performance over more than a decade. Dubbed the “Fab Four,” they redefined the standards of modern batting, representing different styles, conditions, and challenges, yet united by one trait: unmatched dominance in all formats.

Also READ: ENG vs IND: Can Joe Root overtake Sachin Tendulkar in Tests? Dinesh Karthik shares his perspective

Kane Williamson crowns the greatest all-format cricketer of this era

During the third Test at Lord’s, Williamson didn’t hold back while expressing admiration for Kohli. Calling him the “greatest all-format player” of the last 15 years, Williamson praised Kohli’s ability to perform under the weight of expectations in a cricket-obsessed country.

Williamson noted that Kohli not only led India through historic Test triumphs, including a series win in Australia, but also remained dominant in ODIs and T20Is throughout his career. Williamson emphasized their long-standing bond, highlighting how both have grown together on and off the field, including recent moments spent together with their kids in London.

Despite fierce on-field battles, Williamson clarified there was never real personal rivalry,  only mutual pursuit of excellence. He appreciated how Kohli adapted to changing formats while inspiring a generation through his discipline, intensity, and leadership. It was a heartfelt tribute from one modern great to another, a reflection of deep respect cultivated through years of shared cricketing journeys.

“And then obviously Virat, know,  probably the greatest all-format player that we’ve seen for probably in the last 15 years, you know,  and has his own challenges, right? And an absolute cricket-obsessed country, and he’s been at the top of that three and made the game. look at, there’s great sort of relationships and friendships with all of them in slightly different ways. and stay in touch in a lot of ways as well. But yeah, not really that sort of competitive thing. You’re just in a team that you’re wanting to compete as a team and do all those sorts of things” Williamson said.

“Probably the greatest all-format player we’ve seen for the last 15 years” 🙌

Kane Williamson 🤝 Virat Kohli pic.twitter.com/9CyX5InmVt

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 12, 2025

Also READ: Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root or Kane Williamson? Ricky Ponting picks best player of the current generation