“From a very young age, he’s always had a fighting spirit” - AB de Villiers on what he admires the most about Rohit Sharma

Former South African batter AB de Villiers has termed Rohit Sharma’s fighting spirit as the quality he admires the most in the Indian captain. De Villiers said that from a very young age, the Indian batter never believed in backing down.

Rohit recently became the second fastest batter to score 10,000 runs in ODI cricket. The 36-year-old needed 241 innings to reach the landmark. Only his teammate Virat Kohli (205 innings) reached there faster.

Unlike Kohli, the current Indian captain had a very slow start to his one-day career and was in and out of the team. In a Q & A session the 360 Show, De Villiers hailed Rohit for the incredible turnaround in his career.

“Rohit was fourth slowest to 2000 runs, but the second fastest to 10000. How’s that for a comeback. I have a lot of respect for him.

"The first time I watched him play, I thought this guy has got something special to offer. What I like most about him - from a very young age, he’s always had a fighting spirit. He would not back down to anyone,” De Villiers said.

The former South African captain also recalled an incident from a Test in Durban where Rohit stood up to the likes of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel:

“I think of a Test match in Durban where he just wouldn’t stand back to Dale Steyn or Morne Morkel or any of our fast bowlers.

"He would make eye contact. If anyone chirped him. He would right in their face, chest out. I always liked that. At that time, I didn’t enjoy it because he was there to beat us. But thinking back, he always had this incredible fighting spirit.”

In 248 ODIs, Rohit has scored 10,031 runs at an average of 48.93 and a strike rate of 90.27, with 30 hundreds and 51 half-centuries.

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“He has had an incredible partnership with Shubman Gill” - De Villiers on Rohit’s alliance with opening partner

Rohit has formed a successful partnership with young Shubman Gill at the top of the order.

While the two are relatively new as an opening pair, they have already put together some amazing numbers. According to De Villiers, the Rohit-Gill stand augurs well for India, keeping the World Cup in mind.

“Very interestingly, he has had an incredible partnership with Shubman Gill. Two fighters at the crease is always a dangerous thing for the opposition. As an opening pair, they are averaging 87-odd (95) with a strike rate of 110. If they can do that for India in the World Cup…

“They’ve been great in the Asia Cup. There are a couple of big games coming up, obviously the final. Heading into the World Cup, to show this kind of form and to have these kind of starts in the World Cup, will boast really well for India considering that their bowling attack looks on fire at the moment," De Villiers concluded.

In 12 ODI innings as an opening pair, Rohit and Gill have smashed 1046 runs at an average of 95.09, with four century stands.