South Africa legend AB de Villiers has had an fulfilling fortnight cheering on his nation and his favoured IPL franchise ending their lengthy title droughts. Whereas the Proteas downed Australia to elevate the ICC World Check Championship mace at Lord’s, de Villiers was in attendance on the dwelling of cricket, 11 days after he was current through the IPL 2025 closing when his former workforce, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, gained their first title in 17 years.
Nevertheless, in a current interview, the previous South Africa captain recounted just a few disagreeable reminiscences from again in time, throughout his first three IPL seasons with the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals).
de Villiers recalled the toxicity of the setting that left him with bittersweet reminiscences whilst he shared the dressing room with a few of his childhood heroes.
“I’d hate to offer you names-burning individuals, you know-but the Delhi Daredevils have been in shambles. There have been a whole lot of toxic characters in that workforce,” he advised cricket.com.
“There have been a lot of legends, which makes it a bittersweet reminiscence for me. I nonetheless bear in mind these instances fondly. A number of the highlights of my life and profession got here throughout that stint-especially spending time with guys like Glenn McGrath and Daniel Vettori. These have been my heroes rising up, and I used to be actually a bit frightened of them,” de Villiers added.
Whereas the 41-year-old loved the 2009 season in South Africa, taking part in all 15 video games for 465 runs, together with a century, de Villiers solely tallied 13 video games in whole from 2008 and 2010.
“2009 was good. I performed nearly the complete season in South Africa, got here again, and I believed I used to be going to be the person. Then, abruptly, I wasn’t taking part in once more,” he recalled.
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“It was combined emotions. I used to be advised I might be retained, after which the following minute, I noticed myself within the public sale. I didn’t even know what had occurred. So many bizarre issues went on.”
de Villiers was later roped in by RCB through the 2011 public sale and would emerge as one among their biggest batting superstars alongside Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle. Aggregating 4511 runs in 145 innings, de Villiers stays as RCB’s second-highest run-getter, behind Kohli.
“The day I walked into RCB, I felt like they wished me to play each sport. I used to be so stunned. They only went, ‘You’re the person. You’re going to develop right here. You’re going to turn out to be an incredible participant with us-you’re a part of the household.’ Achieved and dusted.”