Sehwag’s 319 the best innings I have ever seen: AB de Villiers

South African cricket star AB de Villiers recently launched his autobiography for his fans to know a little more about the inside story of cricket’s modern-day master. AB de Villiers spoke to TOI recently in an email interview and discussed some key points of his autobiography.

AB de Villiers is undoubtedly one of the best batsmen of the modern day cricket and has redefined the game in his own way. The players usually pen down their autobiographies after retirement. However, AB decided to do it just now. Commenting on this, AB said that the ICC World Cup 2015 loss had a great impact on his life and believed this was the ideal time to share the story of it with the world.

“After the 2015 World Cup, I felt there was a story worth telling, and that it would be possible to write a story that interests and hopefully inspires people,” said AB.

“Our failure to win the 2015 World Cup ranks as the greatest disappointment of my cricket career,” he wrote about the World Cup semi-final exit. “We just fell short on the day of the semifinal against New Zealand in Auckland.

We played well, but we let some catches fall. That’s the game,” he added further.

When asked about the innings that perhaps changed his cricket career, the South African batsman cited the Ahmedabad Test against India during South Africa tour of India in 2008 to be the one. AB scored a brilliant unbeaten 217 in the match. He said that it was this innings that gave him the confidence to play long innings in Test cricket.

“The second Test against India in Ahmedabad in 2008 was a turning point. It wasn’t just the score of 217 not out; it was the fact that, strange as it seems, for almost the first time, I felt able to defend properly and play a long innings for the team,” said de Villiers.

AB’s connection with India and his love for the nation is not an untold story. Time and again, he has admitted his love for India. He has a chapter named ‘Inspired by India’ in his autobiography. He quoted the BCCI and the IPL to have done the world of good for the players. “History books will record that it was the BCCI that got the job done and in 2008 created the tournament (IPL) that transformed the game,” he quotes in the book.

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Speaking further on his reactions after being bought by Delhi Daredevils for the inaugural edition of IPL, AB quoted, “I could not believe it. The BCCI, and the IPL, have taken cricket to a new level. Many players all around the world will always be grateful.”

His camaraderie with Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle in the Royal Challengers Bangalore dugout is always spoken off. AB put some light on it too, and said there is absolutely no rivalry between them and they gel very well in the dressing room and love to pull off games for the team. “Virat and Chris are great players who have become great friends, and it’s been a great experience to play alongside them. Many people may be surprised that we get along so well, and there is absolutely no rivalry between us. We all pull for the team,” he added.

A little off-beat from serious cricket, AB said he watched Bollywood movies with Shah Rukh Khan and would absolutely love to feature in one with him. “I enjoy every movie with Shah Rukh Khan, and would love to feature in one sometime,” quoted Mr. 360.

He also mentioned in his book that it was Virender Sehwag’s innings of 319 that remains to be the best innings he has ever seen. Speaking on the same, he said that Sehwag played shots on deliveries that were supposed to be of negative lines. It was a pure genius from the Indian opener.

“It was just magnificent. Paul Harris, our left-arm spinner, was bowling outside leg stump, into the rough, to try and slow the game down. But Viru kept stepping away to leg and hitting him inside out through the covers for four. You don’t do that in Test cricket, but Viru did,” conceded AB de Villiers.