Virat Kohli continues to demonstrate his class in international cricket, with former South African captain AB de Villiers believing that the Indian batting superstar is currently better than he was during his remarkable 2016 season. Despite being in the latter stages of his international career, Kohli remains hungry for runs and continues to deliver impressive performances for India.

Kohli recently registered his 55th ODI century against the West Indies, further strengthening his reputation as one of the format’s greatest batters. De Villiers, who shared the dressing room with Kohli at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), believes the former India captain has developed a more relaxed approach to batting in recent months. Speaking about Kohli’s transformation, De Villiers said he began noticing the change during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

According to the South African great, Virat Kohli now appears more comfortable at the crease and is playing with greater freedom. “I think it is a better version (than 2016) because of the way he’s so relaxed. And out there in the middle, you can almost see he’s completely free,” AB de Villiers was quoted as saying by India Today.

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He added that Kohli briefly returned to some of his old habits before rediscovering the freedom that has made his recent performances particularly impressive.

De Villiers also believes fans are witnessing a different side of Kohli, with the Indian batter appearing increasingly focused on the people around him rather than external expectations. He feels this mindset could make Kohli an important influence on younger players in the dressing room.

Since the 2023 ODI World Cup, Kohli has scored 1,261 runs in 25 innings at an average of 50.44. His tally includes five centuries and seven half-centuries, highlighting his continued consistency in one-day international cricket.

Kohli has also indicated that the next ODI World Cup will be the final one of his career. However, AB de Villiers believes the Indian star should enjoy the remaining years of his international journey without worrying about how long it lasts.

“He realises that all he can do is just go out there and express his talents and let the fans and the people around the world enjoy that for one last time, or for the next two years or three or five or five years. I don’t know how long,” AB de Villiers added.

The former RCB batter also highlighted the opportunity for younger Indian players to learn from Kohli’s experience and current mindset. With his consistency and renewed freedom at the crease, Kohli continues to strengthen his legacy in international cricket.