AB de Villiers, legendary South African batter, has agreed with India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s notion that ‘batting orders are overrated’ in white-ball cricket, especially ODI cricket. However, De Villiers emphasized that there needs to be a clear balance when making such changes.

Gambhir's ideas have been questioned in Test cricket, but his record in white-ball formats remains good, as evidenced by victories in the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup.

The Indian head coach's style continues to face criticism, notably over the batting order, as he prefers a rotating team over a fixed XI, particularly in white-ball cricket.

Following India's 2-1 ODI series victory over South Africa, Gambhir remarked on white-ball batting, emphasizing that the order, aside from the openers, should not be firmly established.

"I think in a one-day format, you should know the template that you want to play with. I’ve always believed that in white-ball cricket, batting orders are very overrated, except the opening combination," said Gambhir after India beat South Africa 2-1 in the ODI series.

Gambhir's opinions on floating batting orders in ODIs were echoed by De Villiers, who stressed the importance of balance and distinct responsibilities within the team while also embracing the flexibility.

"I do agree with him to a certain extent. I've always enjoyed a floating batting lineup in ODIs. But it's a fine line because you can't really play around too much with the players' roles. It's the top three, four to six, and then your tailenders who can hold the bat. It's almost like three segments, and you can really be creative with that. Play with right- and left-hand combinations and certain situations of the game," De Villiers said on his YouTube channel.

De Villiers praised India's T20 stability, stating that the team's consistent results in the erratic format demonstrate the robust depth and structure of Indian cricket.

"It has been incredible, especially for a T20 format. It's the most volatile format of the three, and to have that kind of consistency tells you there must be something going on that's heading in the right direction. I think it's got to do with the depth of Indian cricket," said De Villiers.

India has done well in the white-ball part of the series against South Africa. Despite losing the Tests 0-2, India won the ODI series 2-1 and has won the first T20I of the five-match series. The second T20I will be played in New Chandigarh Stadium on December 11, 2025.