AB de Villiers turns 36: How did RCB superstar go on to become a '360-degree' batsman?

South African cricketer AB de Villiers, commonly known as Mr. 360 degrees, is one of the most beloved personalities in the cricketing fraternity. Widely regarded as one of the greatest modern-day batsmen of all time, de Villiers holds a 50-plus average in both Tests and ODI cricket.

Even though the maverick athlete retired from international cricket in 2018, AB de Villiers recently expressed interest in making a comeback into the national side for this year’s ICC T20 World Cup in Australia. The 114-Test veteran turned 36 on Monday, February 17 and as usual, #ABDeVilliers trended all over social media.

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AB de Villiers turns 36: How AB de Villiers became a 360-degree superstar

The right-hander made his international debut in December 2004. With a solidity in defence and an apt batting technique, de Villiers scored runs in heaps and cemented his spot in the South African line-up in all three formats of the game. While sustaining his consistency, the adventurous batter also maintained a staggering strike-rate in limited-overs cricket, be it for South Africa or for his Indian Premier League (IPL) team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

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However, the South African superstar took his game to the next level by clubbing West Indies bowlers all over the park in an ODI on January 18, 2015. AB de Villiers scored a herculean 44-ball 149 and created world records of scoring fastest 50 (16 balls) and 100 (31 balls) in ODIs during his whirlwind effort. A few months later, West Indies once again found themselves at the receiving end as ABD scored 162* from just 66 balls in a World Cup game. During the course of his innings, he brought his 150-run mark in just his 64th delivery.

AB de Villiers also entertains Indian crowds with the same flair while representing RCB in the IPL. He, along with Virat Kohli, have formed a lethal batting pair for the franchise and the duo have rescued their side in many crunch situations in the tournament. The right-handed batsman plays with the same authenticity in Test cricket as well and currently holds the second-highest individual score by a South African batsman in the format (278*). For his many unconventional batting heroics over the years, AB de Villiers came to be known as a 360-degree batsman in world cricket.

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IPL 2020: AB de Villiers to resume RCB duties

Meanwhile, AB de Villiers was retained by RCB for ₹11 crore during the recently concluded IPL 2020 trading window. The cricketer joined the franchise in 2011 and has been an integral member of the squad since then. The Virat Kohli-led RCB unit are scheduled to open their IPL 2020 campaign with a game against Kolkata Knight Riders at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 31.

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