Kane Williamson has revealed that a conversation with Virat Kohli played an important role in his decision to retire from international cricket. The former New Zealand captain said Kohli helped him look at the situation differently when they spoke just a day before he announced his retirement.
Williamson called time on his 16-year international career in June during New Zealand’s Test series against England. He decided to retire with immediate effect and did not wait for a farewell match.
Interestingly, Williamson ended his Test career without reaching the 10,000-run mark. Kohli also fell short of the milestone before announcing his retirement from Test cricket in 2025.
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The two former captains share a close bond, and Williamson turned to the Indian batting great while thinking about his future in the game.
Speaking on the ‘Between the Two Beers’ podcast, Williamson revealed how their conversation helped him reach a decision.
“I spoke to a number of people I trust and I’ve been really, really close with. And then I actually had a really, really cool chat with Virat like the day before I announced it. It was really like looking in the mirror, just sharing the experiences that we’ve had in the game for so long,” Williamson said.
Kane Williamson Opens Up On His Special Bond With Virat Kohli
Williamson and Kohli are widely regarded as two of the leading batters of their generation. Both were part of cricket’s famous Fab Four, along with Joe Root and Steve Smith, and enjoyed successful careers across formats.
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Williamson said he shares a special connection with Kohli, which allows them to discuss things beyond cricket. He also explained how their similar experiences as international captains and family men helped them understand each other.
“He’s (Kohli) still playing a little bit, but largely he made some of those big decisions. There’s no one else, I think, even players in your own team at times, that have just been in that exact same position for the exact same length of time, captaincy roles, children at the same time.
“We sort of live this parallel thing. We had a really quite special relationship, but although different worlds, and it was just quite a cool thing to be able to share some of that real vulnerable stuff and how you were feeling and just connect over it,” he added.
Williamson further recalled how the conversation made things clearer for him. After getting off the phone with Kohli, he spoke to his wife, who was in their hotel room.
“I walked out of there or I got off the phone, my wife walked into the hotel room and I was like, it’s time,” he said.
Virat Kohli Continues To Play ODI Cricket
Kohli retired from T20I cricket in 2024 before announcing his Test retirement in 2025. However, the former India captain continues to represent the country in ODIs.
He is currently part of India’s squad for the ongoing five-match ODI series against New Zealand.