“I also feel Virat has taken unnecessary criticism”: AB de Villiers on Virat Kohli
New Delhi [India] March 19 (ANI): Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru player AB de Villiers shared his thoughts on Virat Kohli’s form and his role for RCB this season. He said Virat looked very calm while batting last year, and I don’t think he needs to change it much; AB de Villiers is on Jio Hotstar.
He also praised Phil Salt and his hitting ability, calling him one of the most attacking players in the IPL. He said Virat should play and control the game as he has been doing for years. He admired his instincts and thinks he should be the captain of RCB’s batting department.
“I do feel RCB has what it takes to go all the way. Virat looked very calm and composed in the last IPL. He seems to be enjoying his cricket, especially in the Champions Trophy, where I can clearly see his joy while batting. I don’t think he needs to change much. Batting with Phil Salt, one of the most attacking players we’ve seen in IPL and other tournaments, will take a lot of pressure off him,” AB de Villiers on Jio Hotstar.
“All Virat needs to do is what he’s been doing for years: control the game. He has the best instincts of any player, and he knows when to accelerate and when to hold back. I believe he should be the ‘captain of the batting department’ this season, keeping the team steady and playing smart cricket. Given the constant travel and venue changes, preventing batting collapses will be crucial, and Virat will play a key role in ensuring that,” he added.
De Villiers also felt that Kohli had received a lot of unnecessary criticism over the years. He is batting very well, but outside noise has influenced him. He also said that he felt the same way in his playing days.
“I also feel Virat has taken unnecessary criticism over the past few seasons. He’s batting incredibly well. Of course, outside noise might have influenced him–it happens to all of us. I experienced it in my playing days, too. Not necessarily in my performance, but you do think about it–we’re all human.”
He also spoke about Kohli’s T-20 cricket; he said when it is about the team, he always crosses the line, keeping everything aside. He mentioned his focus on the Champions Trophy 2025 and felt that Kohli still has plenty of T-20 cricket left in him.
“But the one thing about Virat is that when he crosses that line for his team, he blocks everything out–it’s business time. You could see the focus in his eyes during the Champions Trophy. And yes, he might have announced his retirement from international T20 cricket, but I believe there’s plenty left in the tank for him. With RCB’s current batting lineup, I don’t think he’ll feel too much pressure. He just needs to go out there, play what’s in front of him, and that’s when he’s at his absolute best.” he added.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the season opener on Saturday, March 22, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
