Shaun Pollock, a Former South African all-rounder, praised ICC Hall of Famer, AB de Villiers for his exceptional ability to handle pace and bounce, reminiscing their first encounter. Which convinced him that de Villiers was “something special.” De Villiers, who was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame last week alongside England’s Alastair Cook and India’s Neetu David. AB de Villiers had a remarkable international career. With his 14-year long international career, de Villiers acquired over 20,000 runs in all formats. Claiming the position as one of the most innovative and destructive batters in modern cricket. He is also celebrated as one of the greatest fielders in the history of cricket.
In a video by the ICC, Pollock recalled his first encounter with de Villiers during a practice match. He was opening the batting for Northerns. Pollock noted, “As a player who has played for many years, you are always looking for cues as to who is going to be successful. In South Africa, it’s about the ability to deal with pace and bounce. Just bowling to him that day, I realized this is going to be something special.”
AB de Villiers’ Impressive Stats:
- Test Matches:
- Matches Played: 114
- Total Runs Scored: 8,756
- Batting Average: 50.66
- Centuries: 22
- One Day Internationals (ODIs):
- Matches Played: 228
- Total Runs Scored: 9,577
- Batting Average: 53.50
- Centuries: 25
- T20 Internationals:
- Matches Played: 78
- Total Runs Scored: 1,672
- Batting Average: 26.12
Pollock emphasized de Villiers’ “compact” batting technique, emphasizing his excellent balance and head position. Pollock further elaborated on de Villiers’ unique ability to read the game. He mentioned that, even at the point of delivery, de Villiers executed a subtle rock, which, in turn, granted him extra time to react to the ball. This movement, combined with his natural instinct, allowed de Villiers to handle deliveries with remarkable precision and ease.
Pollock looked back on de Villiers’ iconic 2015 ‘Pink Day’ century against the West Indies. He made history by scoring the fastest ODI century in just 31 balls. Dressed in pink, de Villiers showcased his full array of shots, finishing with 149 runs off just 44 balls, which included 9 fours and 16 sixes. This explosive performance ultimately helped South Africa secure a commanding victory, as they posted an imposing total of 439/2. Meanwhile, the West Indies, although they put up a fight, could only manage a score of 291/7. Thereby falling significantly short of the target.
De Villiers’ remarkable ability to perform consistently across different formats has solidified his status as a cricketing legend