The news of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers’ mutual admiration is not new. Over the years, their friendship has grown while playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL). At various times, they have praised each other in their own unique ways.
When Kohli was facing criticism due to his form slump, de Villiers stood by his side. Even before the start of the World Cup, de Villiers has once again spoken about Kohli’s potential in the tournament. He has stated that Kohli will be one of the top three run-scorers in this year’s World Cup. Kohli is heading into the World Cup in fantastic form, having scored 612 runs at an average of 55.63 and a strike rate of 112.91 in his last 16 matches. For India to do well in the World Cup, Kohli’s resurgence is crucial, and given that it’s his last World Cup as captain, Kohli will undoubtedly want to make it memorable. If de Villiers’ prediction turns out to be true, Kohli will certainly be able to prove it.
Former South African captain, de Villiers, believes that Kohli will score a lot of runs in the World Cup. He has stated on his own YouTube channel, “Virat Kohli is going to have a fantastic World Cup. He will definitely be among the top three run-scorers.” Kohli’s form and consistency make him a key player for India in the World Cup, and there’s no alternative to him performing at his best. With his last World Cup as captain, Kohli will likely want to make it memorable for himself as well. If de Villiers’ prophecy holds true, Kohli will certainly be able to prove it.
De Villiers has also talked about another batsman, Shreyas Iyer, whom he compared to “Mr. 360” himself. He said, “I love watching Shreyas Iyer bat. The way he plays in the middle overs, I really like that. He remains calm and composed, which reminds me of Shubman Gill.” In comparing him to Gill, who is known as “Mr. 360” for his ability to play unconventional shots, de Villiers praised Iyer’s skill and composure. It remains to be seen how both Kohli and Iyer perform in the upcoming World Cup.
