Virat Kohli calls de Villiers the best player of his time
Reflexes
- AB de Villiers announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
- De Villiers has played 114 tests, 228 ODI and 78 T20I for South Africa.
- De Villiers had said goodbye to international cricket in 2018.
Johannesburg. After the great South African AB de Villiers announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on Friday, the cricket world led by Indian captain Virat Kohli applauded his play and wished him good luck for his future. Kohli praised De Villiers, calling him “the best player of his time.” De Villiers, one of the most dangerous batsmen in modern cricket, retired from all forms of the game after hitting new heights with his “360-degree hitting” for 17 years. The 37-year-old made the announcement on Twitter.
He wrote: “Since playing in my backyard with my older brothers until now I have enjoyed the game to the fullest. Now, at the age of 37, it seems that the flame is no longer so bright.” Indian Premier League Kohli, the captain of the Indian Test and ODI team, who played with him on the Royal Challengers Bangalore team since 2011, said that he has always been a huge fan of the versatile South African cricketer.
Kohli tweeted: “As the greatest player and most inspiring person of our time, my brother, you should be very proud of what you have done for RCB. Our relationship goes beyond sports and always will be.
De Villiers has played 114 Tests, 228 ODI and 78 T20 matches for South Africa. He also plays in the T20 franchise leagues around the world. England goalkeeper and batter Sam Billings said: “The best I’ve seen (cricket) and the ‘Mr 360’ I follow took the game to the next level on its own.”
Former India hitter VVS Laxman wrote: “Congratulations on a wonderful career. One of the greats of the modern age and an inspiration to many. All the best for his second inning.” Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said: “Congratulations on a wonderful career. You are a wonderful person on and off the field. Best wishes for your future.” De Villiers has played 156 games for the RCB and scored 4,491 runs. He is second only to Kohli in terms of scoring the most runs for this team. He scored an undefeated 133 against Mumbai Indians (2015) and 129 not eliminated against Gujarat Lions (2016), which is the second and third highest scores. singles for the team in one match.He had said goodbye to international cricket in 2018.
Cricket South Africa wrote on Twitter: “Great memories, thank you for breaking so many records and for the entertainment. We salute your contribution to the sport and wish you a bright future.” Former India player Wasim Jaffer also congratulated De Villiers on his ‘unprecedented’ career.
Jaffer tweeted: “Congratulations on a wonderful career. One of the most loved and admired cricketers of the modern era.” De Villiers made his Test debut against England in 2004 and has scored 8,765 runs in this format with an average of 50.66. His highest score is 278 not out and he also has 22 centuries to his name. De Villiers scored 25 centuries in ODI and scored 9,577 runs with an impressive 53.50 average. He has scored 1,672 runs in 78 T20 Internationals with an average of 26.12.
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