 "Virat Kohli hails AB de Villiers as 'most talented cricketer' he's played with in heartfelt open letter")
Virat Kohli hailed AB de Villiers as the “most talented cricketer” he has played with in a heartfelt letter after the South African legend was inducted into the ICC 'Hall of Fame' on Wednesday.
De Villiers, who scored more than 20,000 runs in international cricket including 9,577 in ODIs and has also captained the Proteas in the past, was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame along with former England captain and opener Alastair Cook and former India women’s left-arm spinner Neetu David.
With his ability to hit the ball to all parts of the ground with remarkable ease that earned him the nickname ‘Mr 360’, the fact that he could smash a 31-ball hundred or bat for hours to steer his team towards a draw and that he shone in all three formats has led to de Villiers being considered as one of the greatest batters of all time.
“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 in his letter to ABD.
“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,” added the former India captain.
Impact Shorts
View AllCongratulations to the legendary AB de Villiers on being inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame! 🏏🔥🇿🇦
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 16, 2024
His brilliance, dedication, and sportsmanship has left an indelible mark on cricket history.
A true champion, a true Protea! 🇿🇦#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/pkMHzax0XN
Kohli and de Villiers shared the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for a decade after the latter joined the franchise in 2011 after three seasons with the Delhi Capitals (then Daredevils).
In his letter, former RCB captain Kohli fondly reminisced de Villiers smashing off-spinner Sunil Narine for a 94-metre six during a match against Kolkata Knight Riders.
“There is no better example in my mind than when we were batting together for RCB in Kolkata in 2016. We were chasing 184 against an attack including Sunil Narine, Morne Morkel, Andre Russell and Shakib Al Hasan. You came in to join me with around 70 on the board and Narine was bowling.
“You played and missed a couple and told me during a timeout that you weren’t picking him too well. I felt I was, so I remember telling you to give me the strike and I would try and hit boundaries off him. In the first over Narine bowled after the timeout, I was ready at the non-striker’s end thinking you were definitely giving me a single. So, imagine my surprise when you back away to the leg side, Sunil follows you and you slog sweep him over square leg for a 94-metre six,” Kohli wrote.
“I don’t know what happened in the timeout to give you the belief you could do that. I just remember saying to you, “you’re a freak!”
If I have a lack of belief against someone, I’d just try and get off strike - but you hit him for a 94-metre six without picking the ball. That sums you up. You could just do things our minds were not ready to process, and then everyone thinks ‘how the hell did that happen?’” he added.
De Villiers was just as adept at batting through difficult situations and stonewalling his way to a draw as he was at smashing his way to fifties and hundreds at breakneck speed. An example of this was his ultra-defensive approach in a Test in Delhi during South Africa’s 2015 tour of India.
“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,” Kohli added in his letter.
Thank you for the kind words, my biscuit! And for reminding me of those amazing moments we’ve shared, that I’ll never forget! ♥️ https://t.co/KyAHVhbxBm
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) October 16, 2024
Kohli, himself a legend of the game who broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most ODI centuries last year, signed off by hailing de Villiers as “one of the greatest players” ever.
“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.
“You are in the Hall of Fame for the impact you have left on the game and I don’t think there is anything more special for a cricketer than to have that honour.
“Congratulations, biscotti. You are one of the greatest players to ever play the game.”
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