Kohli recalled a similar de Villiers effort in Delhi from 2015 as a reference to the South African’s concentration and belief to batten down the hatches where required.
“You were always completely in tune with the needs of the team, which made you one of the hardest players to make plans for when we were on opposing sides in international cricket,” Kohli recalled.
“Everyone remembers your attacking shots but you would adapt to the situation. Take 2015, in Delhi, when you faced 297 balls and made 43 trying to save the Test match.
“There must have been a temptation at some stage to think ‘I’ve faced 200 balls, I need to hit a boundary’. But once you locked yourself into what the situation required, you just kept going on and on.
“It all comes back to that belief in your ability. It wasn’t just about the crazy, extravagant shots. You had the ability to defend the ball and had belief in that defence. To play that way because South Africa needed you to do so is a classic example of the team player you were.
“A lot of players can have impressive numbers but very few have an impact on the psyche of those watching. For me, that is the highest value you can have as a cricketer and that is what makes you so special.”
