Kane Williamson Names The Best All-Format Batsman In The World

Kane Williamson-led New Zealand will be looking to make the most of the momentum they received by winning the ODIs when they take on India in the two-match Test series. After being thrashed 5-0 in the T20Is, New Zealand bounced back in style to clean sweep the three-match ODI series.

However, it won’t be an easy task against a team which has been at the top of ICC Test rankings for more than three years now. The Virat Kohli-led side is also on a roll in the ongoing ICC Test Championship, having won all of its seven games so far. With 360 points, India are at the top of the points table while New Zealand are languishing at the sixth spot with just 60 points from seven games.

And while the series is going to be highly competitive, Kane Williamson has made it clear that there would be no lack of respect for each other on the field. On the eve of the first Test, the New Zealand skipper rated his Indian counterpart Virat Kohli as the best all-format batsman.

“Obviously, Virat is the best, one-off, without a doubt in all formats but they are a quality side and leading the World Test Championship,” said Kane Williamson.

Both the stars share a good rapport on and off the field and their connection goes a long way back. The two know each other since their U19 days. Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson had led their respective teams in the 2008 U19 World Cup. And Kane Williamson once again expressed his admiration for Kohli.

“I have always admired Virat in a lot of ways,” he said before adding: “We have to go quite a long way back really to Under-19s and have played against each other in different competitions as well, obviously in international arena, in the IPL and I have always admired Virat in a lot of ways setting benchmarks in international games is pretty obvious with his standard that he sets.”

Williamson further said that India’s top spot in the World Test Championship  is because of the quality batting line-up and world-class bowling unit.

“There is a reason for it, they have so many quality batsmen in their line-up and they have got a world-class bowling line-up as well. So, you certainly do not focus on the one single player and that brings us back to the focus on everyone’s team approach,” said Kane Williamson.

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