Indian skipper Virat Kohli was once again full of praise for Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB de Villiers, following the South African’s recent heroics with the bat.
De Villiers hit a destructive 55 off 24 deliveries and also hit the winning runs in a super over as RCB beat the Mumbai Indians in an IPL thriller on Monday evening.
It was the former Proteas captain’s second half-century in this year’s edition of the event and Kohli, who has formed a formidable partnership with De Villiers at the top of the order over the years, commended his brilliance around the park.
‘I wish I was as perfect as AB, to be honest. He was coming after a long break. The way he batted and some of the shots he played were outstanding,’ said Kohli jokingly.
De Villiers also took up duty with the gloves and stood as wicketkeeper for the game, something he only does on occasion in T20 cricket.
‘Even with the gloves he did a great job, but just to have his energy on the field and getting stuck into the bowlers and only he can do that best. It was a joy to watch.
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‘He keeps things simple and doesn’t watch a lot of cricket. He enjoys his golf, enjoys his life and comes out here, backs his ability and there are very few like him. He is relaxed and has turned out on the field every time he walks on to the field and that’s exactly what we need from him,’ added Kohli.
Monday’s victory moved RCB up to third on the IPL log as they go in search of their maiden title. Kohli and his men will be in action again on Saturday, when they take on Steve Smith’s Rajasthan Royals.
