Image Courtesy : Tanuj Singh/Twitter
AB de Villiers has shared a heartfelt emotional post about Virat Kohli and his Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) family. The former South African skipper was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday at a star-studded RCB Unbox event at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
AB de Villiers pens down a heartfelt note for RCB fans and his teammates ❤️#CricTracker #ABdeVilliers #RCB pic.twitter.com/XTgY18Emhq
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) March 28, 2023
De Villiers has been an integral part of the RCB family during his tenure from 2011 to 2021. During the RCB Unbox event on Sunday, De Villiers and Chris Gayle were given medals of honour for their contribution to the team. Their jersey numbers were also permanently retired as a mark of respect.
The ‘RCB Hall of Fame’ was announced last season. In a special video posted by the franchise on social media, Virat Kohli revealed that ‘Universe boss’ Chris Gayle and legendary South African batter Ab de Villiers will be the first inducted into the prestigious list. The ‘RCB Hall of Fame’ was RCB’s outstanding performers from the past and future felicitated for their contribution to the franchise.
The RCB Unbox event on Sunday also gave RCB fans an exclusive chance to see the squad practise in front of them and see how the team’s preparation for the tournament is progressing up close.
In the last episode of The Bold Diaries, De Villiers was brutally honest about his first impression of Kohli. But, the former South Africa captain admitted that his views flipped the moment he met Virat ‘the human being’ from close quarters.
“Oh my goodness…I have had this question before, and I have also given this answer-back. I think he was pretty cocky and arrogant when I first met him. With that hairstyle, he had a strut going…yes, flamboyant.
“But the minute I got to know him a bit better and watched him play, I got as much respect for him, but I learned to understand him better as a human being. I think he had a barrier around him when I met him the first time. That barrier opened up, and I began to understand the person. I didn’t like him, but you know what I’m saying. He’s a top person now, but the first impression was, “He’s got to come down to earth a bit,” De Villiers said in the video while chatting with Gayle.
AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle chat about their time at RCB, bond with Virat, fitting into the RCB brand seamlessly and their most memorable moment with the team, in Part 1 of Bold Diaries.
Stay tuned for a fun rapid fire between the two in Part 2.#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB pic.twitter.com/WkQO4f9uz1
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) March 28, 2023