Stats: How do Fab Four's numbers stack up in last 20 Tests?

The Fab Four of world cricket have dominated Test cricket for almost a decade leaving no room for any other batter to breach the domain. While Virat Kohli sits atop the list in ODIs, England’s batter Joe Root leads the way in Tests. He has played the most number of Tests (146) and has the highest runs (12390) among the top four.

Looking at the last 20 Tests played by the four stalwarts, Root, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Kohli, Williamson has flourished like there is no stopping. The former New Zealand captain has 2267 runs at an enviable average of 70.84. He is followed by Root, who has scored 1761 runs at an average of 58.70. 

Kohli’s slump in 2020 and 2021, where he did not score any Test century, has positioned him in the last position of stats for the last 20 games. The star India batter averaged just 27 during his rough patch and he will be playing his first Test after January 2024 as India take on Bangladesh in their upcoming two-match red-ball assignment on September 19.

Speaking of Root, the right-handed batter has hit gold in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka. He scored two centuries in the Lord’s Test and surpassed former Sri Lanka cricketer Kumar Sangakkara in Test internationals run tally. He is now sixth in the highest run-scorers in the longest format of the game.

Moreover, he is not too far away from reaching the apex milestone as the 33-year-old needs 3531 more runs to reach to legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record (15921) for most runs in Test cricket. He is eyeing every Indian cricketer’s record out there, as the 146 Test old is inching towards breaking former India skipper, Rahul Dravid’s (210) catches in Tests having grabbed 201 in 18 fewer games.