For Virat Kohli, the bat was a surgeon's knife : AB de Villiers

De Villiers's new book 'AB - The Autobiography' was released this week and has received some wide attention despite the lack of explosive details and is set to be released in India next week.

In the book, de Villiers has talked about his time at the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The batsman recalled the time he spent with RCB skipper Virat Kohli and the explosive Chris Gayle and said it was "a privilege". De Villiers wrote, "For Virat, the bat was a surgeon's knife, and he so often proved himself uniquely skilled at placing the ball in the gaps," reported PTI.

In a chapter titled 'Inspired by India', de Villiers also talked about how India and the BCCI have changed Word cricket with the IPL, and in a good way.

"Sporting organisations tend to be criticised, and the BCCI received its share of flak over the years, not least for declining to use technology and the review system, and for their intransigence in arranging our schedules,

"However, to be fair, the history books will record that it was the BCCI that got the job done and, in 2008, created the tournament that transformed the game," De Villiers wrote.

It was the BCCI that built the platform on which cricketers were suddenly being paid up to USD 1.5 million to perform for seven weeks.

But when the plan was mooted, it was not welcomed with open arms from around the world, he revealed.

"Their fellow administrators around the world recoiled in shock. Some responded by figuratively plunging their collective heads into the nearest bucket of sand, trying to pretend that the IPL did not exist; these governing bodies arranged international fixtures at the same time as the new league and so sought to prevent their leading players from taking the opportunity," he revealed.

De Villiers also revealed how he was pleasantly shocked when told that IPL team Delhi Daredevils had bought him for USD 300,000 per year. "Really? Are you sure there isn't one nought too many?" he said he had asked.

De Villiers also talked about the 2009 edition that was shifted to Mumbai and how he exploited the home conditions.

"The Delhi Daredevil coaches knew I would bring local knowledge, and I played in every match, scoring an unbeaten century against Chennai Super Kings in Durban and averaging 45," he said, reported PTI.