Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) swashbuckling batsman AB de Villiers had a very ordinary season this time and he couldn’t manage to win matches for his team. It wasn’t an easy season for AB because he was nursing a couple of injuries and none of the big names in RCB’s squad stepped up. RCB were the first time to get out of race for playoffs in IPL 2017 and they also registered the lowest ever total (49 against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens) in the history of IPL.
In an interview to Forbes India , AB de Villiers said that he is scared of India because it is just getting stronger and stronger because of the IPL.
“I am scared of Indian cricket; it’s just getting stronger and stronger because of the IPL. The IPL has introduced so many Indian youngsters to this great experience of playing under pressure against the best in the world. No other country has that. They [the other countries] are slowly but surely catching up, but India is far ahead of that. I think they have got some great talent, there are some great youngsters coming through always… the future is in great hands,” AB de Villiers said.
When asked about his incredibly ability to win matches single-handedly, De Villiers said ability to win matches is his biggest strength.
“That’s probably my biggest strength. I don’t think everyone has those skills. But I won’t say I am the best player in the world. That will be disrespectful to players who are in amazing form like a David Warner or Virat Kohli… Joe Root [of England] who’s not even at the IPL, Ben Stokes–who scored a fabulous hundred [for Rising Pune Supergiant] the day before [May 1]. There are so many good players… it will be disrespectful to say I am the best player in the world. But I do have certain skills that others don’t and others have certain skills that I don’t,” he says with modesty.
