The new Wisden Cricket Monthly, out December 12, is a special issue on the future of batting, as we anoint the new Fab Four who we believe can follow in the footsteps of Root, Kohli, Williamson and Smith.

Alongside in-depth profiles of our four batting prodigies, we have an exclusive interview with Aussie maestro Travis Head, Rob Smyth picks out the emerging strokemakers who adorned each of the past five decades, and Jo Harman explores the evolution of women’s batting across the last 15 years.

Elsewhere in the magazine, we mark New Zealand’s sensational whitewash in India by recalling the greatest away series wins in Test history, Daniel Gallan examines the challenges of being both a father and professional cricketer, Devon Malcolm talks James Wallace through his rip-roaring career, and Glenn Maxwell describes the year which changed his life.

We also have exclusive interviews with ECB chair Richard Thompson, who reflects on his first two years in the role in conversation with Lawrence Booth; T20 World Cup winner Amelia Kerr, who talks Mel Farrell through the dramatic highs and lows of her still-fledgling career; and new Yorkshire coach Anthony McGrath, who tells Sam Dalling that the club can challenge for the Championship title next summer.

As for our columnists, Andrew Miller argues ‘wokery’ is the only way forward for English cricket, Lawrence Booth questions how seriously England are taking the World Test Championship, and Rod Edmond reveals the agony and ecstasy of being a New Zealand supporter for over 70 years.