Virat Kohli declared the 'Greatest all-format player' by Fab Four member amid England-India Tests

Former New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson showered praise on Virat Kohli during the third Test match between India and England. Williamson described Kohli as the best all-format cricketer of the past 15 years, highlighting his ability to stay at the top of the game in a cricket-obsessed country.

Virat Kohli was last seen on the field during the IPL 2025 final, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their first-ever title on June 3. Kohli is not part of India’s ongoing Test series against England. Following retirement from T20Is and Tests, Kohli only plays One Day Internationals (ODIs) for India.

Virat Kohli Is Probably the Greatest All-Format Player - Kane Williamson

In a video shared by Sky Sports on X (formerly Twitter), Kane Williamson said that Kohli has the ability to consistently perform at the highest level in a cricket-obsessed nation like India. Williamson also mentioned that competitiveness doesn’t overshadow mutual respect and friendships.

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"Virat is probably the greatest all-format player we've seen in the last 15 years, and he's had his own challenges. In an absolutely cricket-obsessed country and he has been at the top of that tree and really made the game," Williamson said.

"Look, there are great sorts of relationships and friendships with all of them in slightly different ways, and we stay in touch in a lot of ways as well. But yeah, not really that sort of competitive thing. I think you're just in a team where you want to compete as a team and do all those sorts of things," he added.

"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

Lived Our Lives in Some Sort of Parallel Way - Kane Williamson on Virat Kohli

Kane Williamson recalled a recent meeting with Virat Kohli, where both were accompanied by their children. Williamson noted that their lives have followed parallel paths, including becoming fathers around the same time and going through similar life experiences.

“Yeah, we did!" Williamson said. “It was quite funny, just a full circle. And that’s the other part of it. [We have] not just played cricket but lived our lives in some sort of parallel way for a huge percentage of our lives, whether that’s having kids at similar times or experiencing different things as you get older. So you do connect on different levels," he added.

Kane Williamson Currently in London Playing for Middlesex

Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson captained their respective countries at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup. They went on to become key figures in world cricket and were part of the famed "Fab Four" alongside Steve Smith and Joe Root.

Kohli has retired from Tests and T20Is, while Smith has stepped away from ODIs. Meanwhile, Root and Williamson are no longer regulars in the shortest format. Kohli is reportedly living in London, while Williamson is currently in the city playing for Middlesex at Lord’s.

With India’s tour of Bangladesh postponed to September 2026, it remains uncertain when Kohli will next appear in national colours. The next likely opportunity may be the white-ball series in Australia in October 2025.

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