AB de Villiers Honoured as He Embarks on 100th Test!
On Saturday AB de Villiers will become only the seventh South African to play his 100th test! The 31-year-old was honoured at a special function last night, although – in typical AB fashion – he has played down the awesome achievement and says he would rather focus on tomorrow’s match against India in Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) […]
On Saturday AB de Villiers will become only the seventh South African to play his 100th test! The 31-year-old was honoured at a special function last night, although – in typical AB fashion – he has played down the awesome achievement and says he would rather focus on tomorrow’s match against India in Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) than his personal record. See video below.
Earlier today AB tweeted a thanks to all those involved in last night’s function and said: “Really humbled by all the kind gestures. I’m a blessed man.”
It seems fitting that De Villiers – ranked the world’s number one test batsman – will play the match at M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru, a venue that’s become home from home when he plays as a member of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League. (He was due to play his 100th Test match against Bangladesh in Dhaka, but missed the two-day series to be at the birth of his son after playing a world record 98 consecutive Test matches since debut.)
Apart from being a crowd favourite in Bengaluru…De Villiers’ upcoming 100th test has seen his popularity soar to become the most popular South African on Twitter with 2.98 million followers (beating even Trevor Noah who has 2.78 million).
The Proteas will be hoping for a series-levelling victory over India in the second test, after suffering a 108-run defeat in Mohali.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru yesterday, De Villiers said: “South African teams are known for bouncing back and their resilience, I’m expecting the boys to be hungry for the second Test match.”
He said the team’s victories at home and abroad “says a lot about the character and resilience we have in the side, not only as a cricket team but as a nation as well.”
De Villiers, who is SA’s third-highest run-scorer after Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith, acknowledged that tomorrow will be a “great challenge” but said “it will be another good story to come back from this.”
As far as the venue for his 100th he said “I’ve never been too sentimental about those things” and that “representing my country is a great honour but the fact that it worked out for me to play in Bangalore is really special for me. I love coming here during the IPL (Indian Premier League) but being here with South Africa for my 100th Test is special.”
Others to have achieved the 100-test milestone include, Graham Gooch, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting.
South Africa will be facing India tomorrow without JP Duminy, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander who have all been ruled out due to injuries.
South Africans can watch the match live on SuperSport 2 from 5am. #ProteaFire #AB100
Watch Video: AB de Villiers discusses his 100th Test
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