Legendary South African cricketer AB de Villiers, currently leading the South Africa Champions in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL 2025), has revealed his top three batters of all time across all formats.
While speaking on the sidelines of the tournament to Star Sports, de Villiers was asked to name his all-time favourite batters. Though he momentarily considered West Indies great Brian Lara, he ultimately chose a different trioโleaving out Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lankaโs Kumar Sangakkara, who are among the top two run-scorers in cricket history.
“๐ป๐๐๐’๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐น๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐,” ๐จ๐ฉ ๐ ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ .
Kohli, Ponting, and Kallis Make the Cut
Each of de Villiers’ picks has left an indelible mark on the game. Virat Kohli, with 27,599 international runs, ranks third in the all-time highest run-scorers list. He also holds the record for the most centuries in ODIs with 51. Though Kohli has stepped away from T20Is and Tests, he continues to represent India in the 50-over format.
Ricky Ponting, another legend in de Villiers’ trio, is just behind Kohli in career runs with 27,483 to his name. As a former Australian captain, Ponting was a pillar of the dominant Aussie side throughout the 2000s.
Jacques Kallis, widely regarded as one of cricketโs finest all-rounders, boasts 25,534 international runs along with over 500 wickets, making him a complete package across formats.
AB De Villiers Also Picks His Top Bowlers
In the same interview, AB de Villiers shared his top three bowlers of all time: Pakistanโs Mohammad Asif, South Africaโs Dale Steyn, and Australiaโs Glenn McGrath. Asif, despite a curtailed international career, earned immense respect for his impeccable control and swing bowling.
โ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. ๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ด๐๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐,โ ๐ ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ .
Dale Steyn, one of South Africaโs greatest pace bowlers, claimed 697 wickets in international cricket, while McGrath leads all Australian fast bowlers with 948 international wickets.
Heroics in WCL 2025 Continue
Back on the field, AB de Villiers is proving he still has the magic touch. In Match 8 of the WCL 2025 against England Champions, he delivered a blistering knock of 116* off just 51 balls. Chasing 152, his effortโalongside Hashim Amlaโs steady 29*โled South Africa Champions to a third straight win, cementing their position at the top of the points table.
As the WCL progresses, fans will be keeping a close eye on de Villiersโboth for his explosive batting and his insightful views on the gameโs greats.
Also Read: ENG vs IND 2025: Manoj Tiwary Slams Gambhirโs Inconsistent Selection Policy
