Kane Williamson

As a teenager, Kane Williamson looked more like a quiet chess player than a future cricket superstar, all calm and caution at the crease. At his peak he became New Zealand's most graceful run-machine, able to dissect any bowling attack with a mixture of patience and poise.

Williamson's career has been defined by adaptability. He could grind out a double-hundred day in a Test or pace a T20 chase, all without sacrificing his immaculate technique. His captaincy of the Black Caps, including guiding them to the inaugural World Test Championship title in 2021, was praised for its calm and thoughtful approach.

The numbers tell part of the story: more than 9,000 Test runs at an average in the mid-fifties, the most by any New Zealander, plus the player-of-the-tournament award at the 2019 World Cup, where his side lost the final on boundary count. Just as telling were the partnerships he built with the likes of Ross Taylor and his unflappable presence in a crisis.

Now in his mid-thirties, Williamson has become the elder statesman. He gave up the captaincy and opted for a more flexible arrangement with New Zealand Cricket, picking his tours and franchise stints, but his bat remains a reassuring sight for New Zealand fans and his hunger for runs looks undiminished. Few batters of his generation have married technique and temperament so completely.