What Virat Kohli thinks about South African great AB de Villiers
De Villiers, Alastair Cook and Neetu David inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
Dubai: Indian star Virat Kohli called AB de Villiers a “freak” and “an absolute No 1” in a heartfelt letter after his former Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate and former South African skipper was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame on Tuesday.
Recalling a 2016 Indian Premier League match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kohli shared a story about de Villiers’ resilience. Chasing 184 against an attack featuring Sunil Narine, Morne Morkel, Andre Russell, and Shakib Al Hasan, de Villiers struggled with his timing after failing to pick Narine’s deliveries. During a timeout, Kohli told his South African teammate that he would try to hit boundaries. But what unfolded after the break was surprising.
“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-meter six! 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!’,” Kohli wrote in a letter released by the International Cricket Council on Wednesday. Bengaluru successfully chased the target, winning by nine wickets with eight balls to spare. Kohli remained unbeaten on 75, while de Villiers scored 59 not out with five fours and three sixes.
“If I have a lack of belief against someone, I’d just try and get off strike — but you hit him for a 94-meter six without picking the ball. That sums you up. You could just do things our minds were not ready to process.”
Cook and David also honoured
Alastair Cook and Neetu David were also inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, which was launched in January 2009 as part of the ICC’s centenary celebrations. Since then, the Hall of Fame has recognised the greatest players in cricket’s long and illustrious history.
Cook represented England more than 250 times in international cricket, leaving a significant mark in the longest format. A consistent and resilient figure, he retired from international cricket in 2018 as England’s highest Test run-scorer and century-maker, leading notable successes both at home and away with the bat and as captain.
David, a revered figure for India, was known for her skilful left-arm spin, becoming the first Indian woman to take 100 wickets in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Among her standout achievements, she led the wicket-taker list at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2005, inspiring India to their first final.
Fruitful career
De Villiers enjoyed a remarkable 14-year career, during which he scored over 20,000 international runs across all three formats. Known for his innovative stroke play and his ability to deliver under pressure, he set records for the fastest fifty, century, and 150 in ODI cricket, earning a reputation as one of the most feared and destructive batters in the history of the game.
Kohli also remembered the South African, often termed “Mr. 360” for his ability to play shots all around the ground, for adapting his game when the situation demanded it — even against his natural attacking style.
“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,” Kohli added. “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. People have always spoken about your ability, and rightly so. You are the most talented cricketer I have played with, the absolute No. 1.”
Class of 2024
The Class of 2024 will be celebrated in a series of special engagements in Dubai this week, coinciding with the conclusion of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
ICC Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Allardice, commented: “We are delighted to announce the addition of Alastair, Neetu, and AB to the long list of cricketing icons that form the illustrious ICC Hall of Fame, as the Class of 2024.
“Once again, we find ourselves celebrating not only truly great players, but elite innovators, record-breakers, and passionate competitors who excelled on the field of play during their glittering international careers.
“Beyond their remarkable statistics spanning all formats of the game, all three have made significant contributions to the way the game is played today and are worthy additions to the ICC Hall of Fame. We look forward to acknowledging their lasting legacies in Dubai later this week.”