AB de Villiers, popularly known as Mr. 360, is one of the most talented and versatile cricketers of our time. The South African cricketer is considered to be a modern-day great due to his ability to excel in all formats of the game. In this article, we will discuss the life and career of AB de Villiers and his impact on cricket.
AB de Villiers
Personal Information
| Born : Feb 17, 1984 (39 years) |
| Birth Place : Pretoria |
| Height : 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Role : WK-Batsman |
| Batting Style : Right Handed Bat |
| Bowling Style : Right-arm medium |
AB de Villiers was born on February 17, 1984, in Pretoria, South Africa. He started playing cricket at a very young age and made his first-class debut for Northerns (now known as Titans) at the age of 18. He soon made his debut for the South African national team in 2004 and established himself as one of the team’s key players.
AB de Villiers is known for his ability to play all types of shots in cricket. He is particularly famous for his 360-degree shots, which means he can hit the ball in any direction with ease. This has earned him the nickname of “Mr. 360”. His batting technique is unorthodox, but it has proved to be very effective, making him one of the most feared batsmen in the world.
AB de Villiers has played in all three formats of the game – Test, One Day International (ODI), and Twenty20 (T20) – and has been successful in all of them. He has scored over 8,000 runs in Test cricket, over 9,000 runs in ODI cricket, and over 1,500 runs in T20 cricket. He is the fastest batsman to reach 8,000 runs in ODI cricket, achieving the feat in just 182 innings.
In addition to his batting skills, AB de Villiers is also an excellent fielder and wicket-keeper. He has taken some spectacular catches in his career and has affected many run-outs with his quick reflexes. He has also kept wickets for South Africa in some matches, proving his versatility as a cricketer.
AB de Villiers has been a part of many successful teams in his career, including the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has also captained the South African national team in all formats of the game and has led the team to many victories. However, he announced his retirement from international cricket in 2018, citing fatigue and workload as the reasons.
AB de Villiers Cricket Career :
Batting Records & stats
| Format | M | Inn | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100 | 200 | 50 | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 114 | 191 | 18 | 8765 | 278 | 50.66 | 16076 | 54.52 | 22 | 2 | 46 | 1024 | 64 |
| ODI | 228 | 218 | 39 | 9577 | 176 | 53.5 | 9473 | 101.1 | 25 | 0 | 53 | 840 | 204 |
| T20I | 78 | 75 | 11 | 1672 | 79 | 26.12 | 1237 | 135.17 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 140 | 60 |
| IPL | 184 | 170 | 40 | 5162 | 133 | 39.71 | 3403 | 151.69 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 413 | 251 |
Bowling Records & Stats
| Format | M | Inn | B | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Econ | Avg | SR | 5W | 10W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 114 | 5 | 204 | 104 | 2 | 2/49 | 2/49 | 3.06 | 52.0 | 102.0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODI | 228 | 9 | 192 | 202 | 7 | 2/15 | 2/15 | 6.31 | 28.86 | 27.43 | 0 | 0 |
| T20I | 78 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| IPL | 184 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Why is AB de Villiers called Mr.360 ?
AB de Villiers is called Mr.360 because of his exceptional ability to play shots all around the field, covering 360 degrees. He is a highly versatile batsman who can hit the ball to any part of the ground with ease and precision. His ability to play innovative and unorthodox shots, such as scoops, ramps, and reverse sweeps, from any position on the field, has earned him the nickname “Mr.360”. He has a vast range of shots at his disposal, and he can execute them with incredible speed and accuracy, which makes him one of the most dangerous and exciting batsmen to watch. The title “Mr.360” is a testament to his exceptional talent and his unique approach to the game of cricket.