Correspondent, 17 October: Former cricketer AB de Villiers has made a significant revelation during a podcast, stating that Virat Kohli appeared overconfident and quite arrogant in his early days. While friendships between players are frequently discussed in the cricketing world, the bond between "King Kohli" and de Villiers is widely considered to be at the forefront. The two legendary cricketers have played numerous matches together representing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise.
Speaking on Prakhar Gupta's podcast, de Villiers shared his initial reactions and impressions of Kohli. He stated that when the Indian batter was between 19 and 21 years old, he possessed an immense amount of self-confidence. However, de Villiers noted that this high level of confidence was often misunderstood. He added a significant point, mentioning that Kohli himself would likely agree with this assessment.
Offering an explanation for this early behavior, de Villiers stated that believing in one's own abilities is necessary to achieve success in any field. Because a young Kohli wanted to prove himself, his self-belief was visible much more intensely.
De Villiers observed that Kohli's nature underwent changes with time and age, allowing him to mature significantly both as an individual and as a cricketer. As his struggle to prove himself decreased, his temperament became much more balanced. Concluding his thoughts, de Villiers clarified that he was making all of these remarks in a very light-hearted and friendly atmosphere.
