[WATCH] 'Very competitive...'- AB de Villiers shares his thoughts on batting with Virat Kohli in IPL for RCB

The former South Africa captain, Ab de Villiers, who featured in 11 seasons at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), shed light on why he loved batting with the former captain of the franchise. With the former Indian captain, Ab has posted five century stands for the 2025 winners and two double century partnerships, becoming the only pair to post two such stands in the world.

During a podcast, Beard Before Wicket, host Nubai Haroon tried to compare the duo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, while the two former spinners of the England side, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali, compared them (Virat Kohli and Ab de Villiers) with the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legends, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.

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“Amazing. We played the game in a very similar way. Very busy in the crease. Run hard. Really like to get behind the bowlers are likely to do and find ways to attack. There were two huge partnerships between us, one at the Wankhede and one at the Chinnaswamy. Both times felt really good. Moreover, both players were in the form of their lives. That always helps.” The former Protea and RCB batter expressed in that podcast.

Watch: Ab de Villiers shares his thoughts on batting with Virat Kohli in IPL for RCB

Kohli is currently the leading run-getter of the IPL with 8661 runs in 259 innings at an average of nearly 40 and a strike rate of 132.85, thanks to 63 half-centuries and eight centuries at the best score of unbeaten 113 runs.

“I always loved batting with him. Very competitive. Looking for the weakness of the bowling attack, and love to take the bowlers down. So, it was nice to be out there with him and have that experience. Loud crowd and absolutely incredible experience with him.” De Villiers reckoned in that video.

Ab de Villiers finished his IPL career for RCB as the eighth highest run-getter of the league with 5162 runs in 170 innings at an average of around 40 and a strike rate of 151.68, with three centuries and 40 fifties at the best score of unbeaten 133 runs.