5 Greatest Test Innings by AB de Villiers

Abraham Benjamin de Villiers became one of the most feared players of the 21st century in white-ball cricket. Some of his exploits in the cricketing field will possibly never be repeated in the cricket field. A batsman, tailor-made for white-ball cricket, called it a day on 23rd of May, 2018 after yet another successful IPL campaign. Though RCB couldn't make it to the knock-outs he, nevertheless, played some breathtaking innings and pulled off, possibly, one of the greatest catches of all time.

But then, we always knew that there is nothing in the cricket field which ABD can't do. A testimony to this belief has been exemplified by the great man himself with some outstanding knocks in red-ball cricket. Having made his debut way back in 2004, he finished an illustrious career of 114 matches with 8765 runs at an incredible average of 50.66. In the process, he scored 22 centuries and 46 half-centuries and a highest score of 278*.

But wait? Is it only about the numbers? How can anyone forget his back-to-the-wall defence at Delhi in the quest to save the match for the Proteas? Can anyone forget Adelaide-2012 or Cape Town-2014?

Let's rewind and relive take a look at five specials of ABD in red-ball cricket.

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278* against Pakistan at Abu Dhabi (Nov 2010)

Tanvir Ahmed breathed fire into the batting line-up of the Proteas as he sent back Alviro Petersen, Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla to leave South Africa tottering at 33 for 3 at the end of the first hour.

ABD took things under control by forging a 179 run partnership with Kallis as South Africa went to tea break at 212-3. Although Kallis departed soon after, de Villiers was ably supported by Ashwell Prince and Mark Boucher as South Africa ended the first day at 311 for 5 and ABD on 120*.

Pakistan needed to take early wickets on day 2 to edge ahead but instead, they were sent on a leather hunt. ABD formed useful partnerships with each of the lower order batsmen and upped the scoring rate dramatically as South Africa amassed 182 runs in 35 overs between lunch and tea. The declaration finally came at 584/9, a total very few would have imagined South Africa would reach after being reduced to 33 for 3 as almost half of those came from ABD's bat and he ended with a career-best score of 278*

Pakistan adopted a safety-first approach when they came out to bat and the match ended in a tame draw.

217* against India at Ahmedabad (Apr 2008)

Not even a die-hard fan would have imagined that South Africa can inflict an innings defeat to India on their home turf inside 3 days.

After India won the toss and elected to bat first, Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel ripped apart a line-up consisting of Sehwag, Laxman, Dravid and Ganguly. Such was the cluelessness of the Indian batsmen in front of the three seamers that by lunch, South Africa were 1/0. India was bowled out for 76 in just 20 overs with only MS Dhoni and Irfan Pathan reaching double figures

In response, South Africa started steadily but lost their way in the middle and was hobbling at 117-4 when AB de Villiers arrived. South Africa didn't lose another wicket as ABD and Kallis took them to stumps at 223/4.

On Day 2, de Villiers started off like a man on a mission and quickly outscored Kallis to reach his hundred and pressed on the accelerator from there on. With Kallis departing after a well made 115, he carted the bowlers all around the park and by stumps on day 2, he was batting on 217 and South Africa reaching 494/7, having all but batted the hosts out of the game.

India, needing a minimum of 418 runs to make South Africa bat again, folded for 328 and suffered a crushing defeat by an innings an 90 runs.

126* against Australia at Port Elizabeth (Mar 2018)

On a typical Port Elizabeth wicket, Australia was bundled out for 243 just after Tea on Day 1 but they fought back and removed Aiden Markram early as South Africa went to stumps at 39/1 with Dean Elgar (11) and night-watchman Kagiso Rabada (17)

On Day 2, after a period of brief consolidation, South Africa suffered a dramatic collapse as they lost 4 wickets for 28 runs post the tea break and at 183/6, Australia was being hopeful of restricting the first innings lead to under 100. But, they couldn't get past AB de Villiers.

With Philander and Keshav Maharaj making useful 30s, it was a vintage ABD show as he finished unbeaten on 126 with a strike rate in excess of 80 and helped South Africa attain a lead of 139 as the Proteas finished on 382.

Kagiso Rabada took matters in his own hands during Australia's 2nd innings as they folded for 239 and South Africa achieved the target of 101 runs without any fuss.

43 against India at Delhi (Dec 2015)

The pitch was a typical Indian rank turner and India piled up 334 runs in the first innings courtesy an Ajinkya Rahane century. South Africa was put into instant misery by the Indian bowlers as they started to fall apart like a pack of cards and had no answer to Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja's off-spin. AB de Villiers top-scored with 42 in an innings that lasted all of 49.3 overs and yielded 121 runs.

With a potentially match-winning lead of 213 runs, India added a further 267 as Ajinkya Rahane notched up his second hundred of the match and the target for the Proteas in the 4th innings was a monumental 481 runs in a little under 5 sessions on a deteriorating pitch.

Dean Elgar went cheaply without offering any resistance. Bavuma and Hashim Amla resisted for close to 40 overs before Ashwin castled Bavuma with an outstanding delivery. Entered ABD and the man, whom the world had seen whiplashing fast bowlers over the slip cordon in limited overs cricket, just blocked everything with such an astute defence that had rarely been witnessed.

ABD set out on a 6-hour marathon spanning across 297 balls as he set firm to end the match in a draw. Amla and du Plessis also followed suit by consuming almost 60 overs between them but it was once again ABD standing between India and the Proteas.

It took a gem of a delivery and a sharp catch to end a vigil that lasted 297 deliveries and he walked off to a standing ovation. India required 18 balls thereafter to wrap up the match but this innings of ABD was pure magic - a complete antithesis to his 31-ball hundred.

33 against Australia at Adelaide (Nov 2012)

It was the debut match of Faf du Plessis and Australia seemed set to welcome him to test cricket with a crushing defeat to the Proteas. Three centuries, including a double by Michael Clarke, propelled Australia to 550 in just over 3 sessions.

A spirited reply by South Africa followed with Graeme Smith scoring a hundred and Faf announcing himself with a fabulous 78. However frequent wickets restricted South Africa to 388 and a more than handy lead of 162 to the home side.

When Australia declared their second innings at 267/8, South Africa was all but batted out of the match as they were staring at a target of 430 to win the match or surviving almost four-and-a-half sessions to secure a draw.

Miseries compounded further as Nathan Lyon, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle reduced South Africa to 45 for 4 within 20 overs and Australia were being hopeful of wrapping up the match inside 4 days. But AB joined his best friend Faf and forged a partnership of 89 runs and consumed 68 overs in the process.

By the time he was dismissed, he had broken the back of the Australian bowling attack. With Jacques Kallis in his company, Faf du Plessis scored a century in only his second innings and South Africa salvaged a draw from an improbable situation.