5 instances that prove AB de Villiers celebrates World Yoga Day

Mainstream Western media portrays yoga as the ability to master the art of twisting your body in various, ridculously meticulous contortions. It is a practice they have readily absorbed into their daily routines. The miraculous healing powers of this “exercise” further works towards elevating it's position as the fitness regime for the elite.

This practice, one India very proudly claim as their own, boasts of its own celebratory day. Looking at yoga in this regard, one feels that sports and this supposed show of flexibility should somehow be linked.

After all players need to stay fit. Perhaps the one cricket star who most agrees with this statement is AB de Villiers. Here are five instances where he's proved that celebrating yoga day is just his kind of thing.

1) How does one control 360 degree shotmaking?

AB de Villiers in action during an IPL-2015 match against Kings XI Punjab (Image courtesy: India.com)

Saurabh Somani once described de villiers as a “Braavosi water-dancer whose hobbies includes turning up to play for South Africa and Royal Challengers Bangalore in his spare time.”

This shot from last year’s IPL match against Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium shows exactly what constitutes AB’s onfield yoga skills wth the bat. Set for an early reverse scoop and faced with a full toss, ABD somehow managed to pull off a boundary but tumbled in the aftermath resulting in this momentary pose that might make any classical dancer envious.

He may not dance like a butterfly, but he sure stings like a bee - making the opposition dance to his tunes. Brilliance, the sheer brilliance of ABD.

2) Proposal on one knee for the outright audacious

AB de Villiers plays an outrageous shot (Image courtesy: ESPN Cricinfo)

This image is quite a lot to take in. Forget the insanely impossible pyrotechnics that are implied by it and focus on something serious. A warrior, down but still not out, fighting for his team with his weapon held high. Or it’s just ABD going about his normal routine?

This was on the day he scored his maiden ODI hundred. Down with cramps, heat exhaustion and dehydration the young prodigy still rose up to make a difference and ended with 146 from just 130 balls. Or as we see it, the wonderful concentration displayed by a very fine master in what he does.

3) There are sloggers. And there is ABD

AB de Villiers plays an audacious shot over short fine leg (Image courtesy :The Cricket Monthly)

How can a man so consistently balance himself on one part of one leg and still manage to hit a small ball out of the park? What magical dose of determination does he possess?

This wonderful frame came during South Africa’s crazy game against the West Indies, and guess what? The man smashed a hundred in 31 balls and showed absolutely no sign of stopping.

Although, to be fair, when you're accustomed to hitting shots all around the ground, that does not seem to be a difficult task. That bat held high and perfectly parallel to his torso, that right calf of his which evidently can withstand his entire body weight - who else but AB would be able to pull this off?

4) The Pink Panther for all seasons

AB de Villiers of South Africa plays another audacious shot

And here he is again, looking like he means business and taking Michael Jackson's gravity step to a whole new level. I bet even the ‘King of Pop’ could not have alinged himself at an acute angle to the floor balancing on just one leg, this time the left one.

This sufficiently prooves that ABD is perfectly at harmony with all his respective “chakras” looking on with absolute satisfaction as the ball goes flying out. The South African has made his mark as every bowler's nightmare scoring at opportune moments and in the most stylish way possible.

Poised, calm, and with an affinity for ridculous shots, he has certainly lived up to the hype of the best in the world.

5) ABD’s Tandava on the pitch

AB de Villiers bats during the 2015 World Cup match against the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground

360 degree range of innovative shot-making really shouldn’t come as a surprise any longer. This was when he notched the fastest ever 150 in a World Cup match.

Such a shot would have even made the great Sir Viv come out and appplaud. This is exactly what a “cultured slogger”/ “surreal slogger” looks like. You can see the poise and intent of this incredibly flexible man and realise how the verb ‘to AB de Villiers’ someone’ has come to be about in cricketing slang.

With the swagger and intent of Bhuvan and the innovation of Guran, AB looks poised to be as much at home in the cast of Lagaan’s Indian team as in the South African national team.