South Africa’s cricket legend AB de Villiers was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, alongside England’s Alastair Cook and India’s Neetu David.
De Villiers, who was fondly referred to as “Mr 360” for his unmatched ability to hit the ball to any part of the ground, enjoyed an illustrious 14-year international career.
Following this achievement, his former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate, Virat Kohli, penned an emotional letter, calling de Villiers the most talented cricketer he has ever played with.
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What did Virat Kohli say about AB de Villiers’ induction?
Virat Kohli, in his heartfelt letter, expressed how de Villiers is thoroughly deserving of his place in the ICC Hall of Fame. Kohli described de Villiers as the “absolute number one” cricketer and praised his remarkable belief in his own abilities.
“You are thoroughly deserving of your place – after all, the Hall of Fame is a representation of your impact on the game, and yours has been truly unique,” Kohli wrote.
“People have always spoken about your ability, and rightly so. You are the most talented cricketer I have played with, the absolute number one,”
“But what truly stood out to me was your belief in that ability. You had a crazy amount of belief that you could execute whatever you wanted to on a cricket field, and you normally did. That is why you ended up being so special,” Kohli added further.
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Why is AB de Villiers regarded as a special cricketer?
AB de Villiers, known for his aggressive style and unique ability to play unorthodox shots, left an indelible mark on international cricket. He holds records for the fastest fifty, century, and 150 in ODIs.
De Villiers was not only an attacking force in limited-overs cricket but also proved his versatility in Test matches. Kohli highlighted de Villiers’ adaptability, recalling an instance when de Villiers defied expectations to save a Test match against India in 2015.
“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,” added Kohli in his letter.
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“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,” he added.
How did Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers’ partnership at RCB make history?
Over their 11 years together at RCB, Kohli and de Villiers formed one of the most successful and admired partnerships in IPL history. Together, they amassed 3,175 runs in 77 innings, setting records for the most runs scored in partnership for the franchise.
Kohli mentioned how they shared an instinctive understanding on the field, allowing them to push for quick singles and avoid run-outs without even calling for runs.
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“When we ran between the wickets, for example, we never called for runs. It’s a very difficult thing to explain practically but there is a feeling to it,”
“There was a complete understanding of where the ball was going and nothing needed to be said. Fielders were always under pressure when we were batting. I don’t ever remember missing a two with you or being in a position to be run out. It was amazing as if we understood so perfectly that we were always on the same page,” Kohli added.
