Ex-RCB Star Feels AB de Villiers Was More Lethal Than Kohli, Rohit, Dhoni; Explains Why

AB De Villiers was picked as the most dangerous T20 batter in death overs [Source: AFP]

India’s three biggest superstars, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma, were snubbed by an Indian bowler when asked about which batter he fears the most in the death overs. In T20 cricket, overs 16-20 are the most crucial as batters tend to maximise the balls left as they go for the big shots.

Statistically, Kohli and Dhoni are two of the best Indian finishers, but ex-RCB and current GT pacer Kulwant Khejroliya has a different ideology, as he believes there is someone who has better finishing abilities and has shots in his repertoire that cannot be matched.

Khejroliya picks AB De Villiers, snubs legendary trio in T20 batting list

In an interview with Sports Yaari, Khejroliya was asked which batter he wouldn’t like to bowl to if he had to defend 15 runs in the last over.

The GT player was given four options: Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and AB De Villiers, and the Indian star, without any hesitation, picked the South African great, De Villiers.

Khejroliya on AB De Villiers: "Unke pas thoda zyada time bhi hai aur zyada shots bhi hai. Mai khela bhi hun unke sath, thode tough batsman hai (He has more time than others, and has more shots in his arsenal. I have played with him, and he is a tough batter to bowl to)."

Is AB De Villiers the most dangerous T20 batter? Stats reveal reality

Khejroliya has stated that AB De Villiers is the most dangerous batter in the death overs, and his statement might be actually true if we focus solely on the data.

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If we take the IPL data from 2018 onwards, then the statistics show that De Villiers boasts the highest strike-rate in death overs (17-20). The South African strikes at 236.69, and since 2018, the RCB legend has scored 516 runs in death overs in the IPL.

Andre Russell sits in second place with a strike rate of 213.92, followed by India’s Rishabh Pant with a strike rate of 204.56. None of the big names, Kohli, Rohit, or MS Dhoni, make the top five.

So, yes, as the stats reveal, De Villiers could actually be the most tricky batter to bowl to in death overs in a T20 game.

What makes AB De Villiers so dangerous in death overs?

Khejroliya had already mentioned that, as compared to some of the other great batters, the South African possesses more shots in his arsenal, and that makes him a potent weapon.

 Known as Mr 360 degree, the former South African captain has the ability to play shots everywhere, and his ability to pick the bowlers’ lines and lengths early makes him a dangerous commodity.

Moreover, he has multiple shots for the same delivery, and that confuses the bowler as to where to bowl to him. For the same delivery, AB De Villiers can play a ramp shot, can play on the leg side, and can also reverse scoop it past the third man region.

Also, the former RCB player is equally potent against both pace and spin, and thus, he has zero visible weakness, which makes him one of the most complete batters across formats.

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