"You have no idea what happens to this guy when he catches criticism" - AB de Villiers on censure of Virat Kohli's strike rate in IPL 2024

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) star AB de Villiers has stated that he enjoyed Virat Kohli's stunning riposte to people criticizing his strike rate in IPL 2024. De Villiers also disclosed that he always advised opponents not to provoke Kohli as it would only make him play better.

With Sunil Gavaskar notably criticizing Kohli for maintaining a low strike rate, Kohli responded after the game against the Gujarat Titans when he slammed an unbeaten 70. The 35-year-old stated that people who have not been in certain situations on the field were in no position to talk about his strike rate.

Speaking to Jio Cinema in response to a query from the Hindustan Times, De Villiers felt it was unfair for Kohli to cop so much criticism despite being a bonafide match-winner.

"Yeah, I enjoyed that. I thought it was... really bad for someone like that for a hero and a role model of the country to get so much criticism around that,” he said. “But the way I know him, I just knew and that's exactly what I mentioned on my show. I said, guys, you have no idea what happens to this guy when he catches criticism. The many years I've played against him, I used to tell the players in the team room, you do not say one word to Virat on the pitch because he will come out and he will score a big 100 if you try and chirp him."

The former RCB captain is in line to win the Orange Cap once again as he has amassed 741 runs this season. Nevertheless, the Royal Challengers crashed out of IPL 2024 after losing the Eliminator to the Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday.

"I feel he's a number 3 batsman" - AB de Villiers on Virat Kohli

AB de Villiers. (Credits: Getty)

With several experts urging Kohli to open in the 2024 T20 World Cup, De Villiers reckons the ex-skipper should stick to No. 3, suggesting that he holds the batting unit together, the South African added:

"I feel he's a number three batsman and that's where he's most impactful. He's almost like the captain of the batting team everywhere he goes. He keeps the calmness and the composure within the batting unit. I know Virat himself really enjoys opening, which is great. You've got to respect that from a man who's played the game for many years. But if I was playing a TV game, Xbox, he would come in at number three in my team. I feel there's too much risk in those first couple of overs to go and ask Virat to take the game on, to hit the ball in the air."

The Delhi-born cricketer is the highest run-getter in the history of T20 World Cups with 1,141 runs in 27 matches.