Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag helped rich praise on South African batting wizard AB de Villiers, who played for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2021. He said that people may forget his real name but will always remember him by Mr. 360.
AB de Villiers, who is also known as Mr. 360, awestruck the entire cricket fraternity in 2018 by announcing his retirement from international cricket.
In the recently postponed IPL 14, the swaggering batsman once again showcased his heroics and it didn’t seem like that he’s out of international cricket. The-37-year old amassed 207 runs in seven matches including three half-centuries.
Even after three years since his retirement, the swashbuckling batsman still makes cricket fans go bonkers with his ability to dominate world-class bowling line-ups despite not playing international cricket.
With his ability to clear the fence with ease many fans and pundits want AB de Villiers to make comeback for his national side for the T20 World Cup, which will take place in India later this year.
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His recent form in the now postponed IPL 14, where he returned to cricket after 5 months, made Virender Sehwag go gaga over the batsman. Talking about the same former Indian batsman said that people may forget his real name but will always remember him as ‘Mr.360’.
He recalled RCB’s match against Delhi Capitals (DC) where De Villiers scored 75 off 42 balls and hit Marcus Stoinis for 23 runs in the last over.
"People may forget his real name, but will always remember Mr. 360 degree. I don't think we need to give him any other name because how many can you even come up with. 360 degree is a good enough name.
“In the match against Delhi Capitals, when he left a few balls from Marcus Stoinis outside off-stump, he realised he left a wrong ball. Off the next ball, he went outside off, and even though he was expecting a similar delivery, it was a short-pitched ball and he hit a six," Virender Sehwag told Cricbuzz.
Sehwag further said that no other batsman could’ve done what AB de Villiers did against DC. He claimed that Mr 360 is the perfect name for South African.
"Only AB de Villiers could have done that. Had there been any other batsman, he would have gone outside off and instead ducked to the short ball or may have gotten out. I think only de Villiers could have connected. So, no need to look for any more adjectives or songs or poems. 360 degree is the perfect name," he said.
There’s a possibility that a swashbuckling batsman could soon return to international cricket as he reiterated that he is open to coming out of retirement and playing for South Africa in the lead up to the T20 World Cup if there is space for him in the senior national team.
(Cricbuzz inputs)
