Aakash Chopra praised AB de Villiers as the South Africa legendary batter retires from all forms of cricket.
Ex-India cricketer Aakash Chopra lauded the South African star AB de Villiers as he quit all forms of cricket recently. He said that the Indian fans always treated De Villiers like one of their own and he is the biggest goodwill ambassador of the sport.
De Villiers has a huge fanbase in India and it has happened many times when the home crowd cheered for the Proteas batter even when he batted against the Indian cricket team. Chopra lauded him for his 'selfless spirit' which attracted the fans.
“We have the largest fan base in terms of numbers all over the world. After our own Indian players, if we have given love to anyone, it’s AB. We have always thought he is one of our own. We have adopted him.
"He is the biggest brand ambassador and goodwill ambassador of this sport. Not only his playing style but his selfless spirit is also admired by all," he said on his Youtube channel.
De Villiers, who was active in T20 leagues around the world, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), announced his retirement from competitive cricket on Friday (November 19). IPL 2021 was his last tournament in which Royal Challengers Bangalore reached the playoffs.
The 37-year-old was known for his unorthodox batting and the success he had across all formats of the game. He made a huge impact in cricket as the game saw rapid changes over the years.
“(He was) a player who could mould his batting style in all three formats. AB approached all three formats being different characters and was successful in all of them. This is a rare quality in a batter. He played swing, bounce and spin equally well. The finest all-format versatile batter of all times. We are privileged to have watched him," Chopra said in his video.
“He is such a big player but you can’t see any ego in him. You will always be in awe of him, such is the kind of aura he has. He is a complete team player, who kept wickets at the age of 37 to provide balance in the side. He is a player who could fit in at any position. Absolutely incredible, unbelievable player! Whatever he did for cricket, the whole fraternity will owe him forever," he added.
De Villiers was a tough batter to bowl to due to his limitless range and the bowlers had to adjust to his shots. Fans, who didn't have enough of him, wanted the South African to play a little more.