AB de Villiers wants Virat Kohli to win IPL title
What's the story
Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has praised Virat Kohli's phenomenal contributions to the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). De Villiers opined that winning an IPL title with RCB would be the perfect end to Kohli's illustrious career. Despite being the all-time leading run-scorer in IPL history, Kohli is yet to win a championship title.
Consistent performer
Kohli's enduring presence and achievements in the IPL
Kohli has been a mainstay for RCB since the league started in 2008, having captained the side in 140 matches. In his career of 252 matches, he has scored a whopping 8,004 runs with eight hundreds and 55 fifties at an average of 38.66. Kohli has won two Orange Cap awards, finishing the league's top scorer in 2016 and 2024. Kohli also bagged the Most Valuable Player award in the year 2016.
Support
De Villiers wants the perfect finishing touch for Kohli
De Villiers praised Kohli for leaving his comfort zone, attempting new shots, and experimenting with different facets of his game. "It's great to see him stepping out of his comfort zone, trying new shots, and exploring different aspects of his game. He's always had that ability in him. You can see how much it means to him. Winning the title with RCB would be the perfect finishing touch to his already phenomenal career," he said in an episode on JioHotstar.
Defense
De Villiers defends Kohli's batting approach
De Villiers defended Kohli's batting strategy and his role as an anchor for the team. He said, "The scrutiny over Virat's strike rate was absolutely ridiculous. He had done exactly what his team needed from him." De Villiers also stressed that Kohli's performance depended on the situation in the game and who was at the other end of the pitch.