AB De Villiers, South Africa's Go To Man
On Sunday, AB de Villiers broke the record for the world's fastest ODI hundred. His century came off just 31 balls, as went on to score 149 off 44 deliveries. But then, as most of his teammates said, only AB could've done it. South Africa's cricket captain is his team's Most Valuable Player without a doubt, if not the world's.
When he was in school, cricket is not something Abraham de Villiers took very seriously. That's because between rugby, hockey, swimming, athletics and his other love, science, AB had enough to choose from. But once he did pick cricket, AB baby, as he's often called, blossomed and how. The South African captain, who broke the record for the world's fastest One Day International hundred in Johannesburg, is according to many, the modern game's most complete cricketer. Just a year back, New Zealand's Corey Anderson had scored a century off just 36 balls.
De Villiers' knock of 149 vs West Indies at the Wanderers on Sunday, came off just 44 deliveries, and included nine boundaries, and sixteen sixes. No plan, no strategy, no formula worked. But with de Villiers, they mostly don't. Here's what former West Indian great Michael Holding had to say of de Villiers' knock, "I am trying to understand what's happening here, I can't." And that pretty much sums up the cricketing phenomenon de Villiers is.
"Till I was about on 92, I didn't know how many balls and all that, and I wasn't aware how many balls Corey Anderson's record came off, but I knew I was somewhere close. But when I faced those few dot balls at that time, I got irritated with myself. I am okay with breaking records, but I just hate facing dot balls, absolutely hate it," de Villiers said. (Match Report | Pics)
The world's best bowlers admit he's one of the most difficult batsmen to bowl to. A hook shot here, a cover drive there. Or then the scoop shot that he plays with absolute perfection. Abraham Benjamin de Villiers can pretty much single handedly change the course of a game, like he did in Johannesburg. Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw scored hundreds in the game too, but they were bound to get overshadowed. "He said, let's watch for a couple of overs, and then have a go", said de Villiers' opening partner, Amla, who scored an unbeaten 153 himself. "He's scored the fastest ODI ton, I think if anyone had to do it, it would have to be him, nobody else", Amla said. (Kumble Congratulates AB)
That thought in a way also sums up AB's ability to adjust himself and his batting according to situations. The World's No. 1 ODI batsman, AB is also the ranked No. 2 in Tests. And given his consistency in both formats of the game, for many, a feat like this was around the corner. "He has grown in stature over the years and particularly in limited overs cricket. He is such a dangerous player, like we've seen that in the IPL. He smashed no less a bowler than Dale Steyn, the world's fastest bowler, for 20-25 runs in an over. Hitting him in front of the wicket, playing the 'dilscoop' to hit sixes behind the wicket. So, he has got shots all around the dial", former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar told NDTV. ("Hell of an Innings": Corey Anderson)
Not just that, de Villiers is one of world cricket's best fielders at the moment, he can bowl an over or two when needed, and he keeps wickets too. No wonder then that Aussie great Adam Gilchrist recently called the Proteas skipper the planet's Most Valuable Player. ('Record Wasn't Part of Plan' | Pics: World at His Feet)
And going into the World Cup next month, there's no doubt that AB is going to be South Africa's go-to man.