AB de Villiers Reveals Why He Initially Found Virat Kohli 'Arrogant'

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers (Source: AFP) Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers (Source: AFP)

One thing that cannot be denied is that Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers share a good friendship. The two became good friends while playing for RCB in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Over the years, their friendship has grown stronger, and AB de Villiers has often spoken about Kohli’s skills, personality, and game.

However, the former South African captain has now revealed that his first impression of Kohli was quite different. AB de Villiers admitted that he initially found the former Indian captain ‘arrogant and cocky’.

AB de Villiers Explains His First Impression Of Virat Kohli

In a podcast with Prakhar Gupta, AB de Villiers was asked whether he really thought Kohli was arrogant and cocky when they first met.

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The former South African batter agreed with the statement and said Kohli himself would probably accept that description of his younger self.

"Just a high level of confidence and he's always played his cricket that way. It gets misinterpreted sometimes. In my case, that's what happened as well. He came across as overly confident," AB de Villiers said.

He then explained that Virat Kohli’s confidence was the main reason behind his first impression. According to De Villiers, the Indian batter always played with strong belief in his abilities, but people sometimes misunderstood that confidence as arrogance.

"I mean, that was my first impression. It's always tongue-in-cheek when I say that, but I think he'll agree with that. He was a very confident youngster at the age of 19, 20, 21. Early days. That's also what's necessary to achieve great success. You really need to believe in your own ability and you just learn to manage that over the years," he added.

Watch The Video Here:

The Prakhar Gupta Xperience

@pgxpodcast

Prakhar : “When you first met Virat Kohli, you thought he was cocky and arrogant. Is that true?” AB de Villiers: “Yes. I think he’ll agree with that.” “He came across as overly confident. He had a lot to prove when he was younger.” “You need that kind of confidence and

Oct 16, 2026, 10:52 PM

How Virat Kohli's Personality Changed Over The Years

AB de Villiers added that Virat Kohli's behaviour changed as he gained experience and matured. He believes the Indian star had a lot to prove during the early stages of his career, which made him appear extra confident.

“That faded away as he grew older and as he became more balanced as a person and as a cricket player,” AB de Villiers said.

The South African great also explained that Virat Kohli gradually became more comfortable with himself and the people around him.