Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter AB de Villiers has named his Best IPL XI, which includes former RCB teammates and shockingly names himself in the squad.
Former South African and Royal Challengers Bangalore veteran AB deal Villiers to date receives widespread love and affection from Indian fans as well as global fans around the world. He was recently spotted playing some remarkable innings in the recently concluded edition of the World Championship of Legends.
The former RCBian appeared on the Subhankar Mishra podcast and was asked to pick his all-time favourite players to form an IPL XI.
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Former RCBian AB de Villiers picks all-time Best IPL XI
AB de Villiers, the dynamic batter who had a long legacy in the IPL, having played for the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore, a franchise where he has been a recipient of immense honour.
While picking his IPL playing XI, ABD started with former Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma, the second-highest run-getter in the competition’s history. He paired the modern Indian batter alongside explosive and gigantic Australian southpaw, Matthew Hayden, who played for CSK in the first few seasons.
RCB teammate and one of the greatest ever batters in the IPL, Virat Kohli, was named the third batter in the side by the Proteas legend. After that, he made two shocking inclusions, one was the current Mr.360, i.e., Suryakumar Yadav. Yadav is currently cited as one of the finest T20 talents in the country, which he recently proved with 700+ runs in IPL 2025.
The second shock came in the form of AB de Villiers himself as he named himself in the team as the fifth recognized batter. Hardik Pandya features as the only all-rounder while MS Dhoni, the veteran wicket-keeper, has been picked as a finisher.
The bowling deck looks further decorated with two quicks and two spinners. Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah as pacemen and Yuzvendra Chahal sides in with Daniel Vettori as the spinners in the side.
ABD’s Best picked IPL XI: Rohit, Hayden, Kohli, Surya, De Villiers, Hardik, Dhoni, Bumrah, Chahal, Malinga, Vettori.
Mr. 360’s record in the Indian Premier League
AB de Villiers made a start to his tournament with the Delhi Daredevils back in IPL 2008, the inaugural season. However, despite a great start in 2008, he was instrumental in playing a big hand as DD advanced in the points table.
After limited success, he was dropped ahead of 2011 by the Daredevils and then went on to join the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and it changed his fate for the good.
AB De Villeirs ended playing 184 matches and scored 5162 runs with an average of nearly 40 and a strike rate over 150. He also has 3 hundreds and has 40 fifties under his belt.
ABD recently led the South African Champions to a WCL title
After retiring from all forms of competitive cricket, AB de Villiers returns to the cricket field and again has a blast on the ground. Throughout the entire tournament, his bat did not stay silent even on one occasion.
AB de Villiers scored a total of 429 runs in the 6 innings he played and has scored 3 huge hundreds in quick time alongside a half-century. He has a strike rate of over 220 playing for the South African champions, as he led them to a stunning victory in the finals as well.
This was just the second edition of the WCL, and with defending champions India giving a walkover to Pakistan they instead played the final with South Africa and lost it for the second consecutive time after losing it to India in the inaugural season.
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