Kane Williamson may not have delivered a powerhouse performance in his 100th Test, but his contribution was sufficient to break a prestigious record held by Virat Kohli. Playing in the second Test against Australia at Hagley Oval in Christchurch starting March 8, the right-handed star scored 17 runs. This small but significant addition allowed him to surpass Kohli's 2235 World Test Championship (WTC) runs, placing him 11th overall. The leaderboard is currently headed by Joe Root (4223 runs in 52 games), with Australia's Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith following closely in second and third with 3808 and 3466 runs.
New Zealand star batter Kane Williamson failed to play a big knock in his 100th Test but scored enough runs to break one of Virat Kohli’s elite records. During his 17-run knock in the ongoing second Test against Australia, which kicked off on March 8 at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, the right-handed legendary batter leapfrogged Indian stalwart Kohli’s tally of 2235 runs in the World Test Championship (WTC) to become the 11th leading run-scorer. England’s Joe Root is at the top with 4223 runs in 52 matches. Two Australian batters, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith hold the second and third place with 3808 and 3466 runs respectively.
With 2238 runs in 23 matches, Williamson maintains an impressive average of 63.94, boasting 10 hundreds and two fifties. His peak performance came in 2020 against the West Indies, where he smashed a career-best 251. In comparison, Virat Kohli has amassed 2235 runs over 36 WTC matches, though he recently missed the series against England due to personal family commitments.
Expectations were sky-high for Williamson's 100th Test on Friday, but the 33-year-old fell short, exiting the crease after scoring only 17 runs off 37 deliveries. His innings ended abruptly when Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood trapped him LBW on the fifth ball of the 32nd over.
Hazlewood has been in peak form throughout this Test, notably claiming five wickets in the first innings to help bowl out the New Zealand side for 162. As it stands, Australia holds a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. As for Williamson, the Tauranga native remains New Zealand's greatest batting asset, holding the national record for the most Test runs with 8692 across 100 matches. With 32 centuries and 33 fifties, he continues to hold the top spot in the ICC Test rankings.
The Tauranga-born cricketer is the greatest Kiwi batter of all time. In 100 Tests, he has scored 8692 runs, which is the most by any New Zealand batter. Williamson has 32 centuries and 33 fifties to his name, and currently, he is the No.1 batter in the ICC Test rankings.
The Christchurch Test also marked a historic milestone for New Zealand captain Tim Southee. By playing his 100th Test, the 35-year-old right-arm seamer became the first bowler—and only the fourth player ever—to reach 100 appearances across all three international formats. He joins an exclusive club that includes former skipper Ross Taylor, Virat Kohli (who joined in 2022), and David Warner (who reached the mark in February 2024).