Virat Kohli’s Heartfelt Retirement Post For Kane Williamson: “Opponent To A Friend”

Star India batter Virat Kohli on Friday shared a heartfelt retirement message for former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who called time on his international career earlier in the day. Williamson, who had already retired from T20Is last year, bowed out from the international stage as New Zealand’s all-time top-scorer with 19,346 runs from 378 matches, including 48 centuries and six double hundreds. Taking to X, Kohli congratulated his fellow ‘Fab Four’ member Williamson on an illustrious career, adding that “life’s only just begun.”

Having represented their respective countries during the U-19 World Cup in 2008, Kohli and Williamson went on to dominate international cricket for over a decade. Recalling their journey over the years, Kohli admitted that his relationship with Williamson has transformed from rivalry to friendship, adding that he cannot wait to meet up and have a chat with the Kiwi batter.

“From an opponent to a friend over the years. It’s been a pleasure watching you bat and compete against you over so many years but more than that I value our friendship and shared perspectives on the game and beyond. I continue to cherish every time we speak or meet. Wishing you nothing but the best always brother. You’ve done your bit, you deserve to enjoy all of it now and put your feet up. Well done mate, life’s only just begun,” Kohli posted on X.

From an opponent to a friend over the years. It’s been a pleasure watching you bat and compete against you over so many years but more than that I value our friendship and shared perspectives on the game and beyond. I continue to cherish every time we speak or meet. Wishing you…

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 12, 2026

Williamson’s last assignment for New Zealand came during the 1st Test of the ongoing three-match series against England, at Lord’s in London, where he scored a duck in the first innings and contributed 18 runs in the second. New Zealand eventually faced a 115-run loss in the Test.

Alongside his numbers as a batter, Williamson’s captaincy and leadership style were also much admired, as he led the Black Caps in all three formats during the period from 2016 to 2024, where they made two ICC World Cup finals, three semi-finals, and won the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC) in 2021.

(With ANI Inputs)

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