Abraham Benjamin de Villiers earned his stripes as a cricketer who revolutionized the limited-overs game and played hard but fair. (More Cricket News)
The legendary South African batter may have walked into the sunset now, but his insights and reading of the game are still as sharp as they get.
Highlighting how Rohit Sharma evolved his game to become a superstar in one-day international (ODI) cricket, de Villiers said the Indian skipper is a "fighter" and "never backs down to anyone".
"Rohit was the fourth slowest to 2,000 runs, but the second fastest to 10,000. How's that for a comeback? I have a lot of respect for him," de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
Advertisement
Rohit is currently India’s highest run-getter in the ongoing Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. He has scored 194 runs in four innings (before the Bangladesh game on Friday) at an impressive average of 64.66 and a strike rate of 108.98, including three half-centuries.
🚨 Milestone 🔓
1⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣0⃣ ODI runs & counting 🙌 🙌
Congratulations to #TeamIndia captain Rohit Sharma 👏 👏
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/P0ylBAiETu #AsiaCup2023 | #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/STcUx2sKBV
"The first time I watched him play, I thought this guy has got something special to offer. What I like the most about him is that from a very young age, he's always had a fighting spirit. He would not back down to anyone," the former SA great said.
Advertisement
De Villiers recollected how Rohit took on the redoubtable South African pacers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel during a Durban Test.
"I think of a Test match in Durban where he just wouldn't stand back to Dale Steyn or Morne Morkel or any of our fast bowlers. He would make eye contact," he said.
"If anyone chirped at him, he would be right in their face, chest out. I always liked that."
Rohit is the sixth Indian to enter the 10,000 ODI runs club after Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni and Rahul Dravid.
He is also the second-fastest to do so after former skipper and current teammate Virat.
De Villiers also praised young India opener Shubman Gill, who has been on a roll at the Asia Cup alongside his opening partner and skipper Rohit.
"Very interestingly, he (Rohit) has had an incredible partnership with Shubman Gill. Two fighters at the crease is always a dangerous thing for the opposition.
"As an opening pair, they are averaging 87-odd (95) with a strike rate of 110. If they can do that for India in the World Cup...," he said.
Gill is currently in prime form. He is the second-highest run-scorer for India in the Asia Cup, amassing 154 runs in four innings at an average of 51.33, including a couple of fifty-plus scores.
Advertisement
India will take on Sri Lanka in the final in Colombo on Sunday.
