New Delhi: In modern-day cricket, India's Virat Kohli, Australia's Steve Smith, England's Joe Root, and New Zealand's Kane Williamson are regarded as the finest batters. Collectively known as the 'Fab-4,' their different playing styles and incredible achievements often spark debates among fans over who is the best.
This article provides a detailed comparison of their international centuries in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is to understand their dominance in different formats.
Virat Kohli: The King of Limited-Overs Cricket
India's batting maestro Virat Kohli is known for his unparalleled consistency in limited-overs cricket and is the only 'Fab-4' member to score a T20I century. Kohli has scored a total of 81 centuries across all formats, the second most. He also holds the record for most ODI centuries (50) and second most runs (4,188) in T20Is. However, after the conclusion of the T20I World Cup 2024, Kohli became the first player among the 'Fab-4' to announce a retirement from at least one format of the game.
Tests: 30 centuries
ODIs: 50 centuries
T20Is: 1 century
Steve Smith: The Test Cricket Specialist
Australia's Steve Smith, who started his career as a leg-spinner and was considered as the successor of legendary Shane Warne, rediscovered himself more as a batter. He announced himself as a batter against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2014 when he scored four hundred in as many Tests. Smith’s exceptional technique has made him a standout in Test cricket, although he has not yet scored a T20I century. He has 45 international centuries to his name, most of which have come in the longest format.
Tests: 33 centuries
ODIs: 12 centuries
T20Is: 0 centuries
Joe Root: The Master of Red-Ball Cricket
England’s Joe Root leads the 'Fab-4' with 36 centuries in Test cricket. While Root excels in Test cricket, his performances in ODIs and T20Is are comparatively modest.
The former England skipper has been in exceptional form in Test cricket for the last three years, having amassed 18 centuries. The kind of form he possesses is unbelievable and hence has a great opportunity to break cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar's two major records for most runs and most hundreds in Test cricket.
However, Root hasn't been a constant player in ODIs and T20Is for a long time now. He has played only 13 ODIs since 2021 except for the ODI World Cup 2013 held in India while his last appearance in T20Is came in 2019.
Tests: 36 centuries
ODIs: 16 centuries
T20Is: 0 centuries
Kane Williamson: The Pillar of Consistency
Williamson’s consistency is evident in Test cricket, though his numbers in limited-overs formats are slightly lower than his peers. Williamson, who declined New Zealand's central contract earlier this year, has been a consistent performer for New Zealand. He holds the record for most runs in Tests (9,276), second most in T20Is (2,575) and fifth most in ODIs (6,810). However, he has yet to announce his retirement from any of the formats. Currently, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson has 46 international centuries to his credit, 33 of which have come in Tests and 13 in ODIs.
Tests: 33 centuries
ODIs: 13 centuries
T20Is: 0 centuries
Conclusion: Who Dominates Where?
- ODIs: Virat Kohli (50 centuries) reigns supreme, with no close competition.
- Tests: Joe Root (36 centuries) leads the pack, though the other three are not far behind.
- T20Is: Virat Kohli is the sole member of the 'Fab-4' with a century in this format. And has
With a combined total of 223 centuries, the 'Fab-4' has redefined cricketing excellence.
