"There is nobody in the game with the same talent" - When AB de Villiers hailed RCB teammate Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers have featured in some exceptional partnerships for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL. In fact, they hold the record for two highest partnerships in the T20 league. The Kohli-de Villiers pair added 229 against Gujarat Lions (GL) in Bengaluru during IPL 2016 and 215* against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium during IPL 2015.

The legendary pair also added 157 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Bengaluru during the 2016 edition. Following the excellent stand, De Villiers reflected on the brilliance of Kohli. In a column for The Hindu, he expressed his admiration for the Indian batting superstar, writing:

“Virat is one of the world’s greatest batsmen, combining an unmatched ability to dispatch the ball with pin-point accuracy with exceptional running between the wickets; there is nobody in the game with the same talent for finding the spaces in the field."

Back then, West Indies batting legend Chris Gayle was also part of the RCB franchise. Hailing the left-handed batter's big-hitting skills, De Villiers wrote:

"Chris is another of the world’s greatest batsmen, the master of the power game. He reads the game unbelievably well and is quick to assess any weakness in the bowler. He will patiently wait for the right moment to pounce but, when he does, he will send the ball to all corners of any field.”

De Villiers represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2011 to 2021. He is the second-leading run-getter for the franchise after Kohli (8,428). In 157 matches, the former South Africa captain notched up 4,522 runs at an average of 41.10 and a strike rate of 158.33, with two hundreds and 37 half-centuries.

(Note: Stats include Champions League T20 matches)

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When AB de Villiers opened up on 'rivalry' with Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle

De Villiers, Kohli and Gayle were teammates at RCB from 2011 to 2017. Considering that each of the three was a superstar in his own right, fans and critics often wondered about the rivalry among them. In his column for The Hindu, though, De Villiers trashed all such theories. He asserted:

“There is no rivalry between us. We work together, encouraging and being encouraged, urging and being urged, feeding off each other’s knowledge and experience to ensure the best possible team performance on the field."

Despite possessing some of the best talents in the game over the years, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have, surprisingly, failed to win the IPL even once. They have made it to the final on three occasions, losing all of them. In 2009, they went down to Deccan Chargers. In 2011, they lost to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and in 2016, Sunrisers Hyderabad beat them in the summit clash.