Kane Williamson Retires: A Tribute from Cricket Legends
Kane Williamson Bids Farewell to International Cricket
New Delhi, June 13: Gautam Gambhir, a former Indian cricketer and current coach, along with Rishabh Pant and several of his Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) teammates, extended their congratulations to New Zealand's Kane Williamson as he announced his retirement from international cricket, marking the end of a remarkable 16-year career.
Williamson's illustrious journey in international cricket concluded with him having played 378 matches, during which he established numerous records and garnered immense respect within the cricketing community.
On social media platform X, Gambhir expressed his admiration for Williamson, stating, "Grace + Talent + Spirit = Kane Williamson."
Grace + Talent + Spirit = Kane Williamson pic.twitter.com/aLiMRerDSE
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) June 12, 2026
Rishabh Pant also praised Williamson, calling him a symbol of "class and grace" and congratulated him on his successful career.
Former SRH teammates, including Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, Shikhar Dhawan, and Yuvraj Singh, also shared their tributes, highlighting Williamson's legacy and his humility off the field.
Rashid Khan referred to him as "one of the calmest minds, finest players, and greatest gentlemen the game has ever seen," expressing his honor to have played alongside him.
One of the calmest minds, finest players and greatest gentlemen our game has ever seen.
Kane Mama, it was an honour to share a dressing room and the field with you. Your humility, class and leadership will always inspire generations.
Congratulations on an incredible…
— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) June 12, 2026
Shikhar Dhawan commended Williamson's achievements and character, stating, "The game is better because of players like you."
An absolute champion on and off the field.
Congratulations on a remarkable international career, Kane. The game is better because of players like you.
pic.twitter.com/csLsDtd1tf
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) June 12, 2026
Yuvraj Singh, who played alongside Williamson during the 2016 and 2017 IPL seasons, shared his thoughts on Instagram, calling him a "thorough gentleman" and a legendary player.
View this post on Instagram
At 35, Williamson concludes his career as New Zealand's leading run-scorer in international cricket, amassing 19,346 runs, which includes 48 centuries and six double-centuries. He holds the record for the most Test runs (9,515) for New Zealand, with 33 centuries and six double-centuries to his name.
In ODIs, he ranks fourth for New Zealand with 7,256 runs and 14 centuries, while in T20Is, he is second with 2,575 runs. Williamson also boasts the highest Test batting average for New Zealand at 54.06 and the second highest ODI average at 48.69.
His leadership was equally commendable, guiding the BlackCaps through a successful era from 2016 to 2024, which included two ICC World Cup Finals and the inaugural ICC World Test Championship victory in 2021.
Williamson captained New Zealand in 40 Tests, achieving 22 wins, and in 91 ODIs, he led the team to 46 victories. He holds the record for the most T20I wins by a New Zealand captain.
Among his numerous accolades, Williamson was named the 2019 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Player of the Tournament and received the 2018 ICC Spirit of Cricket Award. He made a century on his Test debut against India in 2010, solidifying his legacy in New Zealand cricket.
In the Indian Premier League, his standout season was in 2018 with SRH, where he was the highest run-scorer with 735 runs. With his retirement, Williamson will not participate in the ongoing Test series in England, with a replacement to be announced soon.