Proteas batting maverick AB de Villiers on Thursday (January 18) lauded the Indian pace battery for exceeding the expectations of everyone in the ongoing Test series against South Africa. Even though the world No. 1 Test have conceded an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, the pacers have impressed one all with their awe-inspiring showing.
Owing to the combination of lively pace and top-class swing bowling, Indian fast bowlers have managed to scalp all the 40 wickets of South Africa in the two Tests thus far.
"India have really impressed me. They have surprised us in terms of pace bowling. They have showed a lot more skill and definitely there is a lot more pace than we expected," de Villiers was quoted by PTI as saying.
De Villiers, who played an instrumental role with the bat in both the Test wins for South Africa, also said that he enjoying his return to the five-day game. Before this series, AB hasn’t featured in a Test series against the top 5 nations since January 2016.
"Test cricket is the ultimate challenge. It was very enjoyable to be part of a really important and good series win. I think it was a great team effort from everyone, from the fielders, to the bowlers, and to big pressure moments with the bat in hand.
"It was just an all-round good team performance. I am obviously enjoying my cricket and loving it out there with the boys. It has been a great couple of Test matches," he said.
On being asked about his physical fitness, De Villiers said his body is feeling right at the moment.
"My body is feeling right at the moment. I do have niggles but that is part of Test cricket. You never get up feeling a hundred percent. The back is still there, the ankles and knees, everything is hurting at times but to be playing the ultimate form of the game again, it has been a great challenge," he disclosed.
Talking about his IPL skipper and close friend Virat Kohli’s monumental innings of 153 in the first innings at Centurion, the Proteas batting genius said: "Virat's knock in the first innings was very, very good. I did congratulate him afterwards.
The third and final Test is scheduled to be played at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg from January 24 and AB has already issued warning for the Indians, saying that there will be more pace and bounce in the Wanderers wicket.
"We are now looking forward to the Wanderer's test with more bounce and pace compared to the Centurion wicket. Overall, it was a really good Test. We adapted well to the conditions and did what we needed to do," concluded De Villiers.
