Cricket: Kane Williamson and Joe Root blazing similar paths

Similaries are everywhere when you compare the test careers of rival skippers Kane Williamson and Joe Root.

There's their ages for a start, born four months apart, their test runs, and their improvement in output since being made captains of their countries. They both made their test debuts in India, Williamson making 131 on his first test at Ahmedabad in 2010; Root 73 at Nagpur in late 2012.

The other point about them is that there's so little between them, yet they carry the hopes of their country on their shoulders.

They are also among the four batsmen/captains who are generally accepted as the best in the business.

Australia's Steve Smith is 28, has played 63 tests and has the best average of the quartet, 62.49 with 23 centuries. India's Virat Kohli, 29, averages 53.4 from his 66 matches, and has 21 centuries.

All are matchwinners.

Smith is in a rich run, and has a distinctive way at the crease, all fidgets, tugs and pulls and often appearing to have ants in his pants.

Kohli plays the angry man, but those who know him suggest that is his way of getting himself in the fight. He can be the most dazzling of the four.

Root is simply a wonderful batsman, organised and efficient, and scores with a degree of ease.

Joe Root. Photo / Getty

Williamson is a no fuss type of batsman. Technically immensely impressive. You'd never see a David Warner type leap and punch of the air upon reaching one of his centuries either. More likely it would be a slightly apologetic lift of the bat, then back to business, for Williamson.

Do the four mentally square off against one of the other three when a series between their countries start? They probably wouldn't admit it. Certainly Williamson, who fiercely avoids talking about his own batting, is all about team.

Australian legend Allan Border watched Williamson hit a fine 140 at the Gabba in 2015 — to be followed by 166 in Perth a few days later.

He was emphatic — at that time Williamson was tops.

"Of all the gun batsmen going around, he would be the one I'd choose to bat for my life. Over AB de Villiers, in front of Steve Smith, in front of [David] Warner, in front of all of them," Border said.

"He's always been a guy who has time at the crease. He has that extra-half second to play it; the excellent players, that's what separates them from the rest."

Border believed Williamson was the most technically equipped of the four, with a method most easily adaptable to different pitches.

"He does everything correctly technically. He's very still at the crease, plays all the shots."

Border added he had "a lot of time for Joe Root. He's right up there."

What can certainly be said is that the prospects are good for seeing some top quality batting over the two tests coming up between. And if, as you'd suspect, the deeds of one inspire the other to at least match, there could be a real treat in store.

Kane Williamson

Born: Aug 8, 1990
Tests: 63, Runs 5214, average 50.62, 17 hundreds, 26 fifties
As captain: 15 tests, 1177 at 56,04, 4 hundreds.

Joe Root

Born: Dec 30, 1990
Tests: 65, Runs 5701, average 53.28, 13 hundreds, 37 fifties
As captain: 12 tests, 1107 runs at 55.46, 2 hundreds