Indian cricket team batter Virat Kohli, who announced his retirement from Test cricket recently, was often compared to Joe Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson when it came to the ‘modern greats’ conversation. The four talented batters were dubbed cricket’s ‘Fab Four’ and over the years, fans have engaged in a lot of debates over who is the best among the lot. While Virat finished his career as the fourth-highest run-scorer among the four, former South Africa star Daryll Cullinan picked him as the best among the ‘Fab Four’ because of the kind of responsibility he took in all forms of cricket.

“I think in terms of the Fab Four, he obviously would go down right up there in terms of all formats of the game as being the best of them. They’ve all played some brilliant Test cricket. But what has set me apart with Virat Kohli is that he has taken on the responsibility in all forms of cricket, right up front, the captaincy, the whole expectations of India,” Cullinan said in an interview with Hindustan Times.

And he’s carried that like someone who’s wanted that, who’s enjoyed that and wants to be remembered for that. And that is why I have a tremendous amount of respect for him in terms of the players of his generation.”

“I’m not taking anything away from Smith, Root or Williamson. All three are very fine players. But besides thinking about the Fab Four, if I just look at him, what I found incredibly impressive has been his desire to be everything that India’s batting is about. In the tough moments, winning games, chasing down big scores, pacing and innings, happily taking on the world on the field. In that regard, I think he stood out as being a tremendous cricketer of any age and time,” he added.