How did Kane Williamson become the highest run scorer for New Zealand? How many total international runs did Kane Williamson score in his career? How many runs and centuries does Kane Williamson have in Test cricket? Did Kane Williamson miss out on touching the 10,000 Test runs mark?
Kane Williamson Retirement: New Zealand’s legendary batsman Kane Williamson on Friday announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect. With this decision his 16 year long brilliant international career ended. During this period, he established himself among the best batsmen of modern cricket and made his place among the most successful cricketers of New Zealand. After the announcement of his retirement, cricketers and fans from all over the world wished him well. In this episode, former Indian captain Virat Kohli also shared an emotional message for his old rival and close friend.
Virat Kohli shared a heart touching message
After Kane Williamson’s retirement, Virat Kohli wrote an emotional post on social media platform X. He recalled the on-field rivalry over the years and the friendships that followed. Kohli wrote that the journey from being a rival to becoming a friend was very special. He said that watching Williamson bat and playing against him for so many years was a great experience, but more than that he valued their friendship and shared vision towards the game. Virat further said that every conversation and meeting between them will be memorable for him. He wished Williamson all the best for the future, saying that he has achieved what he wanted to in his career and now he should enjoy life.
Friendship of two great batsmen of Fab Four
Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson have been part of the famous ‘Fab Four’ generation of cricket for the last decade. This group also includes Australia’s Steve Smith and England’s Joe Root. These four players have consistently performed brilliantly in international cricket for the last several years and have gained respect across the world for their batting, leadership abilities and sportsmanship. Williamson has often been praised for his calm leadership style, consistent performances and contributions in big matches.
Both their careers ended after reaching 10,000 test runs.
Interestingly, both Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson retired before reaching the historic figure of 10,000 runs in Test cricket. Kane Williamson scored 9,515 runs in 110 Test matches at an impressive average of 54.06. During this period he scored 33 centuries and six double centuries. Whereas Virat Kohli, who said goodbye to Test cricket in 2025, scored 9,230 runs in 123 Test matches at an average of 46.85. He has 30 centuries in his name in Test cricket.
Williamson departs as New Zealand’s most successful batsman
35-year-old Kane Williamson is bidding farewell to international cricket as New Zealand’s highest run-scorer. He scored 19,346 runs in his entire international career. This includes 9,515 Test runs, 7,256 ODI runs and 2,575 T20 International runs. Due to his calm nature, technically strong batting and excellent captaincy, Williamson is counted among the most respected cricketers in the world.
Kane Williamson was the captain who won the World Test Championship.
New Zealand won the first ICC World Test Championship title in 2021 under the leadership of Kane Williamson. This is considered one of the biggest achievements in New Zealand cricket history. Under his captaincy the team also reached the finals and semi-finals of many ICC tournaments. He played a key role in shaping the most successful era of New Zealand cricket.
Lord’s Test became the last match of his international career
Williamson’s retirement has come at a time when the New Zealand team is playing a three-match Test series against England. This decision meant that the first Test match played at Lord’s proved to be the last match of his international career.
Cricket world paid tribute, Kohli’s message was the most special
After the retirement of Kane Williamson, cricketers, experts and fans from all over the world paid tribute to him. However, Virat Kohli’s message remained the most discussed. His message was not just a farewell to a player, but also symbolized the respect, friendship and sportsmanship that has existed over the years between two great cricketers. This message shows that despite the intense competition on the field, there has been deep respect and a strong relationship between the two players.