Kohli showed me the mirror: Williamson on retirement chat with Indian star
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Former New Zealand cricket captain Kane Williamson shared that a deeply personal discussion with Indian star Virat Kohli served as the final push for his departure from international competition. Speaking on the Between the Two Beers podcast, Williamson recounted how consulting his close friend and fellow modern great just twenty-four hours before his announcement provided much-needed clarity.
The veteran batter explained that their parallel careers, shared leadership responsibilities, and similar life stages created a rare bond, allowing them to connect on a vulnerable level before he decided to walk away during the England Test series in June.
Williamson ultimately concluded his sixteen-year international tenure just shy of the ten-thousand-run milestone in Test cricket, matching a similar statistical threshold for Kohli in the format. While Williamson chose an immediate departure without a formal farewell series and missed out on the milestone, Kohli previously stepped away from Twenty20 Internationals in 2024 and Tests in 2025.
After finishing their conversation, Williamson recalled informing his wife that the moment to leave had arrived, closing the chapter on a remarkable era for two members of modern cricket's Fab Four.