Virat likes Ronaldo so let him be that and I’ll be Messi, jokes AB de Villiers

Virat likes Ronaldo so let him be that and I’ll be Messi, jokes AB de Villiers

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Citing Virat Kohli’s admiration of Cristiano Ronaldo, AB de Villiers has joked that the Indian skipper can keep that title in cricket as long as he can be Lionel Messi. De Villiers also asked the Indian side to start quickly on their tour of Australia if they want to have any sort of success there.

De Villiers has been a part of the IPL since the very beginning of the cash rich tournament when he was drafted in by Delhi Daredevils way back in 2008. However, it was when he moved to Bangalore that he truly showed his abilities batting alongside Virat Kohli. The duo has not had too much success as far as trophies are concerned in Bangalore but have provided a lot of fireworks. De Villiers believes that the reason that they are so good batting together is down to the fact that they share a similar mindset and mutual understanding of the game. 

“There is definitely some chemistry about us batting together. We have a similar mindset about the game which we enjoy. It’s nice to bat with someone who understands the way you play and also the mutual understanding. He likes Ronaldo so let him be that and I’ll be Messi, will take that gladly,” joked de Villiers, reported HT. 

“As a batsman he has got areas where he can improve and that is also scary, so all in all, he is in a great place in his career.”

After the Indian side had dominated every team at home, winning nine straight Test series, there were a lot of expectations from the side going away from home. However, after losing 2-1 to South Africa, early this year, they were completely outplayed by England in the Test series that the hosts won 4-1. Now, with the Australia tour on the horizon, de Villiers believes that India can get a result Down Under but they need to start off the series well. 

“India have a very good chance. They came to South Africa and probably played better cricket in the three-Test series. They lost in England but once again that first Test was on a knife’s edge and could have gone either way which would have changed the complexion of the series. It (Aussie tour) will be challenging but they have the ability to win there,” de Villiers explained. 

“They just did not start well (in England) that is all. They competed and played really good cricket. They had the opportunities and when you are touring away from home, you have to take them.” 

A major reason for India pushing South Africa to the limit and being somewhat competitive in England was down the fact that the bowlers, the pacers, in particular, had performed well above expectation. Despite Bhuvneshwar missing the England series, the Indian pace battery managed to keep the side in some games with some heroic efforts. De Villiers feels that the fitness of their fast bowlers and the way India start the series will hold the key to their success in Australia.

“(Jasprit) Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar (Kumar) weren’t ready in England so they (India) can get all the fast bowlers ready. They have, if not the best, one of the best bowling attacks in the world and we know what the batting unit is capable of. They have got to take the opportunities against Australia.

“If you slip in the first Test there, it becomes a snowball and it’ll be similar to what happened in England. They slipped in South Africa, and in England it sort of snowballed down. They’ve got to start well in Australia, (then) a lot of things get easier,” said de Villiers. 

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