Legendary cricketer AB de Villiers has revealed the three toughest bowlers he has faced in his career. In an interview with Robin Uthappa on JioCinema, the former South African captain named Shane Warne, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rashid Khan as the most challenging bowlers he has encountered.
De Villiers recalled his first encounter with Shane Warne during his visit to Australia in 2006. He highlighted the impact of Warne’s skill, technique, and aura on the game. Despite scoring 60 runs in that match, De Villiers acknowledged Warne’s ability to exploit his weaknesses, particularly his difficulty in playing straight balls.
Reflecting on his battle with Warne, AB de Villiers said, “He was a man who could figure out little things like that and understand there’s something not right with this guy’s bat lift. Let’s go straight and just slide it in there, and ultimately I missed one.”
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De Villiers mentioned that Warne dismissed him four times in his career, indicating the Australian spinner’s mastery over his game. However, he also expressed admiration for Warne’s intelligence and his role in helping De Villiers improve his technique.
Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian fast bowler known for his competitive spirit, was another formidable opponent for De Villiers. Despite having some success against Bumrah, De Villiers acknowledged the challenging nature of facing him and commended the bowler’s relentless approach.
“Bumrah was always very challenging because he was so competitive, he would never back down, is always in your face…I love that competitiveness,” AB de Villiers said.
Surprisingly, De Villiers also mentioned Rashid Khan, the Afghan spinner, as one of the toughest bowlers he has faced. Despite hitting Rashid for multiple sixes during their encounters, De Villiers highlighted Rashid’s resilience and attacking mindset, as he continued to challenge the batsman even after conceding runs.
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“Rashid Khan, tough to pick at night once again…always in your face. He hit him with three sixes, as he was trying to get me out the next ball. And those are the kind of bowlers I always found difficult to face and always had a lot of respect for,” AB de Villiers shared.
In conclusion, AB de Villiers praised Shane Warne, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rashid Khan as the toughest bowlers he has encountered in his illustrious career. Their skills, competitiveness, and ability to exploit weaknesses made facing them a formidable challenge for the legendary batsman.
