The South Africa legend says he got to a stage where he felt he had to get away from the international cricket scene, spend more time with his family and just stay sane!
AbrahamBenjamindeVilliersmaynot be the kind of cricketing superstar Indian sare accustomed to. ABD, though, is a genuine modern-day legend of the game and among its all-time greats. He has multiple records against his name, can make the most difficult of shots look ridiculously easy and butcher the ball all around, all with a smile. But the South African insists he is still “a long way from being perfect” and all the adulation sits lightly on him. In a detailed, exclusive interviewwithSportstar, de Villiers spoke on a range of subjects — on being a player, his family, his journey with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League and Virat Kohli.
The 360-degree man — how does that label sit on you personally?
That is an interesting question to start off! To be honest, I didn’t try to get that name when I started playing cricket; it automatically happened with the way I played. But I think there is a method in madness. You have got to adapt to different situations, both in life and in cricket. After 15 years of playing international cricket and travelling around the world, I realised you have to adapt to all kinds of situations on andoff the pitch.That’s just theway it all happened.All the different shots I play, that’s all about survival in the game and staying ahead of the pack and have the skill to be able to adapt. That’s the most important thing and I think that’swhere the ‘360’ comes from, so it is nothing special.
ABD, as an acronym, is as recognisable as SRT across the cricketing world. How do you handle all the popularity, the adulation?
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 1, 2019 من Sportstar.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 1, 2019 من Sportstar.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Tokyo Marathon Cancelled For Amateurs On Coronavirus Fears
Organisers in Japan cancelled the amateur portion of the Tokyo marathon, affecting around 38,000 runners, on fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
Right Criteria To Pick The Tennis GOAT
What should the criteria be? What weight should be attached to each criterion? And what should not be considered as valid criteria?
The making of a batting behemoth
If Steve Smith dominated the Ashes in England in a dramatic, blockbuster fashion then his like for like a replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, is the Next Big Thing after an exciting summer of run-glut.
WHEN ACES WERE REWARDED...
It was an evening of nostalgia and celebration when the Sportstar Aces awards were given away in Mumbai.
A question of recognition
After a week of awards, one wonders if it’s only a departed player that one will be named after.
Thinking straight, thinking right!
“A lot depends on when I am bowling and what is required from me. That’s something I do when I play for India and I try to follow the same thing in the domestic circuit,” says Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Big Three and the Next Gen
Though the Big Three are very unlikely to retire during the same year, Judy Murray, mother of Andy, echoed the sentiments of many fans worried about the impact of their departures.
WAKING UP TO MENTAL HEALTH
Sport at large and cricket specifically has taken an inordinately long time to address the elephant in the room — the dark abyss of depression.
Like sunshine in a gloomy dressing room
Bangladesh quick Abu Jayed Rahi is new in the red-ball arena, but his swing brings back old memories — of James Anderson on green tops.
The league of the masses
With traditional clubs locking horns with the hard-working nurseries of the game, the I-League will continue to keep the beating heart of Indian football alive despite official apathy.
