One record each of the Fab Five that will be difficult to break

While cricket is a team game where 11 players unite with a sole aim, there are also individual records at stakes like centuries and five-wicket hauls. On basis of these records, fans and experts debate, ‘who’s the world’s best?’ As far as modern-day cricket is concerned, an unofficial group of elite batters exists, which is known as ‘Fab 5.’

India’s Virat Kohli, Australia’s Steve Smith, New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, England’s Joe Root, and Pakistan’s Babar Azam feature in the illustrious club. All these players are cornerstones of their respective batting line-ups and their numbers speak volumes of their capabilities. Time and again, these players have left the cricket world in awe with their blitzes over the 22 yards. While all five players have different strengths and weaknesses, consistency is a common aspect of their performance.

Meanwhile, let’s look at one unbreakable record of current Fab five each:

Virat Kohli

The list of Virat Kohli’s batting record is long. After all, the talismanic batter has piled up a plethora of runs across all formats. In the process, he also shattered many records that might be untouched forever. However, one record which seems the safest is Kohli’s tally of seven Test double centuries as captain. No other batter has scored more double tons while leading the game. Hence, this record seems pretty safe.

Steve Smith

Unlike other members of the fab-five, Smith’s strokeplay might not be very pleasing to eyes but when it comes to impact, the Aussie batter isn’t second to many. He has particularly been brilliant in the longest format of the game. Smith is also the fastest to reach 7000 Test runs, getting the feat in 126 innings. This record is likely to be safe for a long time.

Kane Williamson

New Zealand’s rise in international cricket has been parallel to Kane Williamson’s rise as a world-beater. The right-handed batter is a proven star across formats and his numbers are nothing but phenomenal. Notably, he’s the only captain to have led his side in the finals of the ODI World Cup, T20I World Cup, and World Test Championship final. As there aren’t many players who have the charge in all three formats, this record seems safe.

Joe Root

Making his international debut in 2012, Joe Root didn’t take long in becoming a vital cog of the England team. His unbreakable-looking record is pretty intriguing as it also requires a certain amount of luck. Root is the only player to have played his first, 50th, and 100th Test on foreign soil. As team managements aren’t very keen to hand debut to players on foreign players, this record might be safe. Moreover, playing 100 Tests is not everyone’s cup of tea.

Babar Azam

The latest entrant in this club, Babar Azam has been a revelation in Pakistan cricket as his consistency and impact are hardly second to anyone. The right-handed batter has proved his mettle across all conditions and formats. Although the batter has a long way to go in his career, he has already made some prominent records. One of them is being the quickest batter to reach 2,500 T20I runs. Azam got the milestone in just 62 innings and going past him would take some beating.