Former South Africa batter AB de Villiers has picked Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni while building his ideal ODI batter. The former South African captain selected legendary players for specific shots and skills but ignored the legendary Sachin Tendulkar in his combination.
Speaking to Star Sports during the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2026, de Villiers picked players for eight batting attributes, including the cover drive, straight drive, pull shot, sweep and running between the wickets. He also named his choices for six-hitting and the flick.
AB de Villiers Picks Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni
AB de Villiers chose Virat Kohli for the cover drive and Rohit Sharma for the flick shot. He praised Kohli’s technique and said his selection was based on the batter’s skill rather than popular opinion.
“Virat Kohli. Everyone says that, but I'm not just saying it because everyone says it. He's masterful when it comes to that. Rohit Sharma with that flick of his. It's pure timing, pure talent, and just beautiful to watch,” de Villiers said.
De Villiers picked himself alongside Kohli for running between the wickets. He selected former India captain MS Dhoni for six-hitting, highlighting his ability to clear the boundary at will, particularly during his prime.
“MS Dhoni. He was quite brutal, especially in his heyday, during the best years. MS could hit a six at will, and the one that stands out was that 2011 ODI final,” he said.
AB de Villiers Picks Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting and Jacques Kallis
AB de Villiers selected former Australia opener Matthew Hayden for the straight drive, Ricky Ponting for the pull shot and South African great Jacques Kallis for the cut shot. Pakistan batter Younis Khan was his choice for the sweep.
“Straight drive is Matthew Hayden. He hit the ball so hard it made a huge noise coming off his bat, so Matthew Hayden for a straight drive was pretty special.”
He also explained his choice for the sweep shot, saying: “Sweep will always be a bit of a surprise maybe to some people, but Younis Khan from Pakistan.”
What goes into building the ultimate ODI batter? 👀 #ABdeVilliers picks his ideal batter, bringing his cricketing insights and expert takes to the table! ⚡🙌 Watch the #WCL 2026 LIVE on Star Sports! https://t.co/I7IELGx6BF
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 10, 2026
AB de Villiers Smashes 37-Ball Century In WCL 2026
AB de Villiers also produced a remarkable performance for South Africa Champions against Australia Champions on Friday. Australia posted 209/5 in 20 overs, with contributions from D’Arcy Short, David Warner and Joe Burns, setting South Africa a target of 210.
Batting at No. 3, the 42-year-old smashed an unbeaten 111 off 40 balls, reaching his century in just 37 deliveries. He struck six fours and 11 sixes, helping South Africa Champions chase down the target in 15.2 overs.
De Villiers received strong support from Richard Levi, who scored 62 off 29 balls. The rapid chase also meant teammates Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy were not required to bat.
The knock continued de Villiers’ strong record in the WCL. In the 2025 edition, he finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 429 runs in six matches at a strike rate of 220, including three centuries and a half-century.
Also read: Zimbabwe announce ODI, T20I squads for UAE tour; Sikandar Raza to lead
