During the second test against Zimbabwe last week, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson became the youngest ever batsmen to score a century against every test-playing nation. Not only was he the youngest to do so by over four years, but he also did so in the quickest time —both in terms of days (2104) and innings (91). He smashed the records set by former Sri Lankan star Kumar Sangakkara, who achieved the feat at the age of 30 in 114 innings. By achieving this feat, Williamson joined Sangakkara in an elite group including Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, and Ricky Ponting.
Such a record raises the inevitable question —is Kane Williamson the best batsman on the planet right now?
Yes he is. Some may argue that Australia’s Steve Smith, India’s Virat Kohli, or England’s Joe Root lay claim to the throne, but I disagree. Those three may boast better statistics but it does not tell the whole story. While they got off to a flying start in the test arena, Williamson did not, and it is for that reason alone that his record on paper is not quite so grand. At the conclusion of New Zealand’s last tour to South Africa in 2013, when they got skittled for 45 in one innings, Williamson averaged a mediocre 30.27 from 20 tests. In contrast, the other three all averaged over 40 after the same amount of games.
However, since that series Williamson has the highest average of the quartet, an astounding 65.64. Only Smith gets close to the Kane-Train during the same period, with an equally impressive average of 62.93. Meanwhile, Root has averaged 54.95, and Kohli has only averaged 49.02. This telling statistic shows that Williamson has developed his game to a level that is unmatched by any of his peers.
The gap widens further when investigating their performances away from home. Williamson’s average abroad is 64.39 since that series in South Africa three years ago. Again, Smith is the closest, although quite far off Williamson at 55.84, followed by Kohli at 53.02, and finally Root at 45.21. In an era where teams often doctor their pitches at home to suit their own preferences, the ability to perform away from home in all conditions becomes a vital yardstick in which to measure one’s ability.
This is where Kane is a class above his peers. His technique is so compact and flawless that he can adapt to any foreign conditions, whether it is a dustbowl in India or a lightning-quick deck in South Africa. His brilliant footwork and ability to play against both pace and spin bowling means that he has no obvious weakness.
In contrast, his peers often struggle in certain conditions that do not suit their style of play. Virat Kohli, arguably the best player of spin in world cricket, has struggled mightily throughout his career against the swinging ball. This deficiency was exploited by the English attack when India toured in 2014. Expected to lead from the front, Kohli was dismal in all five tests, averaging a pitiful 13.40 with a top score of 39. Steve Smith has had an equally difficult time in the subcontinent, where his unorthodox technique has often been undone by quality spin. His poor showing in the recent series in Sri Lanka was a prime example of this technical weakness.
Unfortunately, as New Zealand do not play the same amount of test cricket as the ‘Big Three’ of Australia, India, and England, it is unlikely that Williamson will finish with more runs than any of the aforementioned players. However, there is no doubt that he will become the greatest Kiwi batsman of all time, and by a significant margin. Hopefully his talent will help New Zealand get invited to play against high-quality opponents on a more regular basis, much like Brian Lara did for the West Indies over a decade ago.
For now though, let us watch in awe as one of our own plunders runs at the same speed as his idol Sachin Tendulkar. If Williamson finishes his career anywhere near the vicinity of the legendary Indian batsman, his legacy will be cemented for years to come.