{"id":29941,"date":"2022-05-03T17:48:24","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T17:48:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/ab-backs-long-time-friend-kohli-to-overcome-slump-you-dont-become-a-bad-player-overnight"},"modified":"2022-05-03T17:55:58","modified_gmt":"2022-05-03T17:55:58","slug":"ab-backs-long-time-friend-kohli-to-overcome-slump-you-dont-become-a-bad-player-overnight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/ab-backs-long-time-friend-kohli-to-overcome-slump-you-dont-become-a-bad-player-overnight","title":{"rendered":"AB backs long-time friend Kohli to overcome slump: ‘You don’t become a bad player overnight’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. <\/strong><\/span>Proteas legend AB de Villiers has responded to former Royal Challengers Bangalore team-mate Virat Kohli’s dip in form, insisting he has not become a bad player overnight.<\/p>\n

AB de Villiers hopes grass is greener for golf partner Ashleigh Barty<\/p>\n

De Villiers – known as ‘Mr 360’ for his strokeplay and ‘Superman’ for his astonishingly agile fielding – says he was fortunate not to have had too many bad runs with the bat during his career.<\/p>\n

However, he sympathises with his close friend, Indian superstar Kohli, who he played with in the Indian Premier League.<\/p>\n

‘King Kohli’ had been going through a rough patch including two successive golden ducks before he hit 58 on Saturday. He has also failed to score a century in over 100 matches in all formats.<\/p>\n

“As a batsman you are only one or two bad knocks away from bad form,” said De Villiers.<\/p>\n

“If it keeps coming at you it is difficult to bounce back from it.”<\/p>\n

De Villiers says he has not been in touch with Kohli, but says the struggle becomes largely one of the mind.<\/p>\n

“I cannot put a percentage to it but it is the mind and power of the mind which is the main battle,” he said.<\/p>\n

“You do not become a bad player overnight. Virat would know it and I know it. I think it’s the way you think and set your mind.<\/p>\n

“You need a clear mind and fresh energy whenever you play and then you can find a way out of a hole.”<\/p>\n

While De Villiers made plenty of money from the T20 format he is a staunch defender of the Test game. In 114 Tests between 2004 and 2018, he piled up 8 765 runs for South Africa, averaging just over 50.<\/p>\n

“Test cricket is my number one format,” he said.<\/p>\n

“I think most players feel that way. There is nothing more rewarding than standing out there for five days with your team.<\/p>\n

“It is the ultimate challenge. I do not know why anyone would say they do not want that challenge in the hardest of formats.<\/p>\n

“I will stop watching cricket if Test cricket were to be no more.”<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About South-Africa<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. Proteas legend AB de Villiers has responded to former Royal Challengers Bangalore team-mate Virat Kohli’s dip in form, insisting he has not become a bad player overnight. AB de Villiers hopes grass is greener for golf partner Ashleigh Barty De Villiers – known as ‘Mr 360’ for his strokeplay and ‘Superman’ for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":29940,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,8,17],"tags":[1709,274,315,323,597,322,1305,275,721],"class_list":["post-29941","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-homepage-english","category-sport","tag-ab-de-villiers","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-south-africa","tag-cricket","tag-ipl","tag-proteas","tag-royal-challengers-bangalore","tag-south-africa-2","tag-virat-kohli"],"yoast_head":"\nAB backs long-time friend Kohli to overcome slump: 'You don't become a bad player overnight' - South Africa<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Proteas legend AB de Villiers has responded to former Royal Challengers 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