5 players who you did not know played with AB de Villiers in IPL

Srihari
Kings XI Punjab v Delhi Daredevils - IPL : News Photo
De Villiers has played for both DD and RCB

Over the course of the Indian Premier League, there are few more recognisable players than AB de Villiers. The South African superstar has set the tournament alight on many occasions and has become synonymous with the world-class talent that plies its trade in the league.

de Villiers might have become synonymous with Royal Challengers Bangalore but he did play for three years at the start of the IPL for Delhi Daredevils. Throughout his IPL career (2008 to 2010 – DD, 2011 onwards – RCB), he has played with some great players.

Extra Cover: 5 players you didn’t know were once Virat Kohli’s teammates at RCB

There have also been some surprising ones that you might not know about. Here are five of de Villiers' teammates over the course of the IPL that you may not know about:


#1 Aavishkar Salvi

de Villiers' three-year stint with the Delhi Daredevils from 2008 to 2010 was one that saw him play alongside some stars. While the likes of Virender Sehwag and Glenn McGrath are prominent names, one that slipped through the net was Aavishkar Salvi.

When Salvi first grabbed the headlines, India thought they had finally found a solution to their pace bowling malaise. Yet, despite an impressive first-class and List-A track record, injuries meant he could never quite develop into the player everyone thought he could become.

But during the 2009 season of the IPL, he played for the Delhi Daredevils alongside de Villiers. Given the fact that he played just eight matches for the franchise in total, his time alongside the legendary South African is a coincidence not many are aware of.

#2 Brett Geeves

Sheffield Shield - Bulls v Tigers: Day 1 : News Photo
Geeves was unlucky with injuries

The inaugural edition of the IPL was when Brett Geeves, who some predicted could be the death bowler Australia needed in ODIs, was at Delhi Daredevils, alongside de Villiers. Injury might have forced Geeves to retire at the age of 29 but he still shared a dressing room with Glenn McGrath, Daniel Vettori, and AB.

Despite his penchant for in-swinging yorkers, the Australian fast bowler played just 14 T20 matches and just two of those were for the Daredevils. Unfortunately for Geeves, those games were the first and last of the inaugural edition of the IPL.

Figures of 0/41 and 1/50 in his two games for the Daredevils meant he didn't get to be in the same playing XI as AB and had to be content with bowling alongside McGrath before his career came to an abrupt end due to a back injury.

#3 Mohammad Asif

Pakistan's Mohammad Asif celebrate takin : News Photo
Asif formed a potent new ball pair with McGrath for DD

Before Pakistan players were barred from playing in the IPL, Mohammad Asif turned out for Delhi Daredevils and formed a potent new ball combination alongside Glenn McGrath as Delhi reached the semi-final of IPL 2008. It was in the same edition that he turned out alongside de Villiers.

After not playing in the first few games for Delhi Daredevils, de Villiers' first game was against Chennai Super Kings, where the Pakistan fast bowler turned out as well. While Asif just picked up a solitary wicket at the game, AB was at the crease when Shikhar Dhawan scored the winning runs.

Unfortunately, the 2008 edition was the only one that Asif took part in before the whole fiasco that was the ban on Pakistan players in the tournament, his positive test for steroids and his ban by the ICC for his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal, took place. He did take eight wickets in eight matches for DD though and played a crucial part in them reaching the semi-final.

#4 Murali Kartik

Kartik had a late stint with RCB in which he picked up nine wickets in 11 matches

One of the unluckiest spinners over the past few decades has to be Murali Kartik. While he might still be in the limelight courtesy of his stints in the commentary box, even after picking up nearly 650 first-class wickets, he played just eight Tests.

Although he began well before T20s came around, he was still a useful spinner in the format, which is evident from his career economy rate of under 7. In the 2013 edition of the IPL, Kartik turned out for RCB and played alongside de Villiers, who had a sublime tournament, scoring 360 runs at an average of 36 and strike rate of nearly 165.

Although he is primarily associated with the Kolkata Knight Riders, he also had a late stint with RCB in which he picked up nine wickets in 11 matches, which turned out to be his penultimate IPL season. In 2014, he turned out for Kings XI Punjab before he called time on his professional career and moved into commentary.

#5 Shoaib Malik

Pakistan v West Indies - T20 International : News Photo
Malik is one of the greatest T20 all-rounders of all time

Nearly 7,000 runs and over 100 wickets in T20s. With a record like that there can be little doubt about Shoaib Malik's stature as one of the best T20 all-rounders to have played the game. Long before he established himself courtesy of his exploits in various T20 leagues, Malik played in the IPL before Pakistan players were barred.

Malik may have played just seven matches for Delhi Daredevils in IPL 2008, but he was in the XI during de Villiers' IPL debut against CSK. 52 runs and two wickets from those seven matches imply that he wasn't a huge success for the franchise.

Still, he played alongside AB and although the latter has gone on to establish himself as one of the best batsmen of his generation since then, Malik still has scored more runs in T20s and T20Is than the South African superstar.

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Edited by Staff Editor