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Image: RCB
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers is regarded as one of the best T20 batters in the world due to his ability to smash all around the park. AB de Villiers played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL and was a crucial member of the franchise for the better part of the last decade. He along with Virat Kohli broke several records in the tournament while representing RCB together.
If ever an all-time IPL XI is officially formed, De Villiers will certainly get a place in the team. However, former India cricketer Anil Kumble believes otherwise as he recently left the South African star batter out of his team while naming his all-time IPL XI. When a panel consisting of Parthiv Patel, Chris Gayle, Scott Styris, and Robin Uthappa named De Villiers in their all-time IPL XI, Kumble backed MS Dhoni and Kieron Pollard ahead of the Proteas star.
"It is very difficult to get AB de Villiers in my team because MS Dhoni comes in at five as captain and wicketkeeper and Pollard at six. I would look at the impact the particular player has had at No. 6 in terms of winning matches from difficult positions and of course, titles is something that I looked at as well, at No. 6," Kumble said on JioCinema.
De Villiers has played 184 matches in the IPL since his debut in 2008. The right-handed batter scored 5162 runs at an average of 39.71 and with a strike rate of 151.69 including three centuries and 40 half-centuries. De Villiers' last season with the RCB was in 2021 when he scored 313 runs at an average of 31.30 and with a strike rate of 148.34. Prior to that, De Villiers scored more than 400 runs for three consecutive seasons in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
“Yeah I like the look of this team that had a good season last year, they came close. There's a good balance, and good backup, I just need a couple of guys in form. It's the same old story I think when it comes to that, we need a couple of guys in the top order to fire," De Villiers on RCB's performance at IPL 2023 auction in December.
Image: RCB
