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South African legend AB de Villiers celebrates his 39th birthday today, February 17. Unarguably one of the finest batters to have graced the game, he represented the Proteas in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs, and 78 T20Is, scoring over 20,000 international runs in total. His exceptional big-hitting skills made him a fan favorite at most venues.
De Villiers still holds the record for the fastest ODI hundred (31 balls) and the fastest ODI fifty (16 balls). Both records were created in the same match - against West Indies in Johannesburg in January 2015. The right-handed batter ended up smashing 149 off only 44 balls, with nine fours and 16 sixes.
Even after announcing a shock retirement from international cricket in 2018, ABD continued to ply his trade in the T20 leagues, especially for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL till 2021. Overall, he played 184 matches in the tournament, scoring 5162 runs at an average of 39.71 and an excellent strike rate of 151.69, with three hundreds and 40 fifties.
Many might argue that Virat Kohli is the finest batter to have played in the IPL, but we look at three reasons why De Villiers is the greatest IPL batter of all time.
#1 He was incredibly consistent even while playing high-risk cricket
De Villiers was the original 360-degree batter of cricket. His aggressive style of play meant he was more often than not attacking the bowlers. Despite his high-risk approach, his consistency in the IPL was incredible. From 2009 to 2014, he scored over 300 runs in every season barring 2010. His strike rate was in excess of 150 in every season from 2012 to 2015.
Sensationally, De Villiers’ numbers only got better in the subsequent IPL editions. From 2015 to 2020, he smashed over 400 runs in every season apart from 2017. That’s not all. Barring the 2017 season, he had a strike rate in excess of 150 in every edition during the aforementioned phase. His strike rate went up to 175.08 in 2015 and 174.54 in 2018.
ABD was thus unique in the sense that he could score at a rapid pace and do so with unbelievable consistency. He set the T20 batting benchmark for players like Suryakumar Yadav, who is carrying forward his legacy in incredible fashion.
#2 AB de Villiers won games for RCB from near-impossible situations
De Villiers might not hold any of the major batting records in the IPL. However, he has played some of the best knocks for RCB under pressure, winning games for them from near-impossible situations. Chasing 159 against the now-defunct Gujarat Lions (GL) in IPL 2016, RCB were in the doldrums at 68/6. De Villiers, however, pulled off an incredible win for his franchise, slamming a nerveless 79* off 47 balls.
ABD fans will never forget his assault on fellow South African fast bowler Dale Steyn during an IPL 2014 game in Bengaluru. Chasing 156 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), RCB faltered to 59/4 at the start of the 11th over. They needed 28 runs off the last two overs. De Villiers then clobbered Steyn for three sixes and a four to completely change the momentum of the match.
In recent memory, he pulled out of a near-miracle for RCB against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) out of nowhere. Chasing 178 in Dubai during IPL 2020, Bangalore needed 35 off the last two overs. De Villiers then launched a brutal assault on Jaydev Unadkat, hammering him for three sixes and a four. RCB ended up winning by seven wickets with two balls to spare. The Proteas legend brought up the victory in style, launching Jofra Archer for a maximum.
No other player in IPL history has won so many games for a franchise under such challenging conditions. De Villiers’ three hundreds in the IPL have also been spectacular efforts, putting him in a league of his own when it comes to the greats who have featured in the T20 league.
#3 He could bat anywhere
Versatility is another key factor that adds to the legend of ABD. While most batters have specific roles in a playing XI, De Villiers could bat literally anywhere RCB wanted him to and could mold his game accordingly, without comprising on his impact.
All three of his hundreds in the IPL came when he batted at No. 3 and formed a superb alliance with Kohli. He has done wonderfully in the middle order as well, winning numerous games for the franchise.
The Proteas superstar also kept wickets when needed, allowing RCB to play an extra batter or bowler. He was an invaluable asset to the franchise in multiple ways and is unarguably the greatest IPL batter of all time.
Also Read: Best combined XI of RCB men's and women's team
