AB, Virat best of frenemies

– Virat Kohli’s rivalry with fellow batting star AB de Villiers is likely to provide a compelling side-show in the three-Test series between the Proteas and India starting on Friday.

“It’s not like only two guys are playing in this series,” said Kohli, playing things down when asked about De Villiers, his Royal Challengers Bangalore team-mate in the Indian Premier League.

“AB is a great friend of mine, I respect the way he plays the game and I’ve always respected him as a person as well,” Kohli (below) said. “But when you’re playing against each other it’s just about wanting to get AB out and I’m sure the opposition would want the same when I play or (Ajinkya) Rahane plays or (Cheteshwar) Pujara plays as well.”

While Rahane and Pujara may be high-quality players – in the same way that Dean Elgar and Hashim Amla are for South Africa – no player on either side can match the aura created by Kohli and De Villiers, whose thrilling stroke play can change the course of a match.

Kohli is India’s most glamorous and best-performing batsman since Sachin Tendulkar, while De Villiers has the rare distinction for a foreigner of having star appeal in India.

Kohli has only played in two Tests in South Africa, when India toured in 2013/14, but showed his ability to handle the pace and bounce of South African pitches by making 119 and 96 in the first Test in Johannesburg.

De Villiers has played 17 Tests against India and his average of 40.10 against them is modest compared to his career average of 50.47. But he has enjoyed some big successes – 217 not out in an innings win in Ahmedabad in 2007/08 and South Africa’s fastest Test century, off 75 balls, in Centurion in 2010/11.

What seems certain when the world’s two top-ranked Test teams square up is that there will be extra excitement and anticipation every time Kohli and De Villiers walk out to bat. – AFP