The Indian batting legend, Virat Kohli has hailed former teammate and friend AB de Villiers as the “most talented cricketer” he has played alongside after de Villiers was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. This place is also occupied by England’s Alastair Cook and India’s Neetu David.
A player central to the evolution of the modern game across all three formats 👏
— ICC (@ICC) October 16, 2024
AB de Villiers enters the ICC Hall of Fame 🏅
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De Villiers: A Cricketing Legend
He ended his career by scoring more than 20,000 runs across three formats, so he is one of the first true greats of three-format cricket. He averaged over 50 in both Test and ODI formats and was dynamic on the field with his athleticism in batting.
Kohli wrote in a letter to de Villiers, “You are more than deserving of your place. It would be hard to think of somebody who better represents an impact that would have a unique value on the game.”.
Kohli remembers de Villiers as having the best self-belief during challenging situations, like when he hit a fantastic six off Sunil Narine in a memorable IPL match. “You had a crazy amount of belief that you could execute whatever you wanted, and you usually did,” Kohli noted.
Kohli remembered a superb innings where de Villiers amassed 94 runs without letting pressure dominate his mind. “You could do things our minds weren’t ready to process,” Kohli added further.
Virat Kohli's letter to AB De Villiers congratulating him on being inducted into ICC Hall of Fame. 🤯❤️ pic.twitter.com/fFK5edfmKw
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 16, 2024
A Complete Cricketer
He is known for his aggressive batting and his sense of situations. Kohli stated that de Villiers was praised for how he clings to his life at trying times; de Villiers batted for 297 balls for just 43 runs for South Africa to salvage the game in a 2015 Test match.
“You were always in tune with the needs of the team,” Kohli said. “The way you defended and adapted-it’s a very strong example of a pure team player.”
Lessons In Mental Toughness
Kohli acknowledged the influence de Villiers had on his mental approach to the game. “Your drive to win for your team was tremendous,” he said, citing the importance of a positive mindset even if you’d failed in the previous games.
De Villiers retired second to that list as South Africa’s run scorer and only to Jacques Kallis. His style will be a benchmark for generations to come.
A Lasting Impact On Cricket
Kohli said that many cricketers have great statistics, but barely any of them leave an endearingly striking impact in the minds of the fans. “You are in the Hall of Fame for the impact you made on the game,” he said. “There’s nothing more special for a cricketer than that honor.”
To Kohli, de Villiers is not only one of the greatest players to have ever played cricket but also a standard for excellence in the game.
Also Read: ICC Hall Of Fame Honors: Alastair Cook, Neetu David, And AB De Villiers Inducted!
