India men’s cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir took to X on Friday (June 12) to pay tribute to former New Zealand captain and star batter Kane Williamson after he announced his retirement from international
cricket with immediate effect.
Gambhir, who played against Williamson during the late 2000s and early 2010s, shared a picture of the New Zealand great and captioned it: “Grace + Talent + Spirit = Kane Williamson.”
Gambhir’s post for the legendary New Zealand cricketer has since gone viral on social media.
Here’s a look:
Grace + Talent + Spirit = Kane Williamson pic.twitter.com/aLiMRerDSE
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) June 12, 2026
Williamson, New Zealand’s highest run-scorer in both Tests and international cricket overall, played 110 Tests, 175 ODIs, and 93 T20Is for the Black Caps between August 2010 and June 2026. He made his international debut in an ODI against India in Dambulla on August 10, 2010, and played his final match for New Zealand against England at Lord’s earlier this week.
He finished his international career with 9,515 runs and 30 wickets in Tests, 7,256 runs and 37 wickets in ODIs, and 2,575 runs and 6 wickets in T20Is.
An exceptional career, by the numbers. pic.twitter.com/52SZsQhY8q
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) June 12, 2026
Apart from his batting exploits, Williamson also established himself as one of the finest captains in world cricket. He led New Zealand to the finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2021 T20 World Cup, while also guiding the team to its maiden World Test Championship (WTC) title in 2021.
Williamson was named Player of the Tournament at the 2019 ODI World Cup and is widely regarded as one of the greatest batters of his generation.
Apart from Gambhir, former India captain and batting great Virat Kohli also took to X to congratulate Williamson following his retirement announcement.
According to Kohli, it was a privilege to watch Williamson bat and compete against him for so many years.
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
“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. #KaneWilliamson,” Kohli tweeted.
