Kane Williamson names 'Greatest All-Format Player' of last 15 years — and it's not Rohit Sharma or Joe Root

Kane Williamson names greatest all-format player. (Photo: AP)

Indian cricket star Virat Kohli has received the highest praise from Kane Williamson, who has referred to him as the "greatest all-format player" of the previous 15 years. In a recent interview with Sky Sports, the former New Zealand captain, who has long held a special place in his heart for Kohli, reflected on their friendship and achievements.

Along with Joe Root and Steve Smith, Williamson and Kohli were members of the so-called "Fab Four" and are frequently compared for their leadership and consistency during a heyday of modern cricket. But Williamson's unambiguous stance put an end to the discussion. No player since 2010 has been this reliable, according to the Kiwi, who also discussed his friendship with Virat.

“Virat is probably the greatest all-format player we've seen in the last 15 years,” Williamson told Sky Sports.

"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

He praised Kohli's capacity to succeed in India's competitive cricketing environment, saying, “He had his own challenges in an absolute cricket-obsessed country, and he was at the top of the tree.”

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Williamson also highlighted their friendship outside of cricket. “It's a great relationship in slightly different ways. We've stayed in touch in a lot of ways as well. But, yeah, it was not really a competitive thing. You're just in the team and you want to compete as a team.”

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The New Zealand batsman went into additional detail about their personal rapport, stating, “It was quite funny, just a full circle. That's the other part. We're not just playing cricket but you are living lives in a parallel way in a huge percentage. It's the different things you experience as you get older, so you do connect on similar levels.”

Even after retiring from Test cricket in May of this year, Kohli is still regarded as a titan of the game. Although Williamson chose not to accept a central contract last year and resigned from his position as captain of New Zealand's white-ball team, he still plays for his country in all formats. He has reaffirmed his dedication to the international game in spite of these developments. Their careers have been characterized not only by statistical achievements but also by how they have managed high expectations and kept improving as cricketers and human beings.