NEW DELHI: Suryakumar Yadav has often spoken about his admiration for AB de Villiers, and now that respect has turned into a real conversation. The Indian T20I captain recently asked the South African legend for advice on how to maintain consistency across formats, and de Villiers was quick to respond with warmth and humility.
Instead of rushing to answer, the former Proteas captain said he would “do his homework” before offering any guidance, adding that he was just as eager to learn from Suryakumar.
Suryakumar’s admission
Speaking to journalist Vimal Kumar, Suryakumar admitted that while he has mastered the T20 format, he is still working on translating that success to one-day cricket. When asked who he would like to seek advice from, he immediately named AB de Villiers, calling him the perfect example of balance and control across formats.
De Villiers later addressed Suryakumar’s message on his YouTube channel and welcomed the idea of a deeper chat. “It is a great question from SKY. I will study it properly and make sure I give him a good answer,” de Villiers said. “I also have a few questions for him.”
The South African great also spoke about Suryakumar’s red-ball ambitions. “I am not sure if he has big goals in Test cricket, but I do not think he will give up on it,” he added.
The 360 connection
AB de Villiers remains one of the finest all-format batters the game has seen. His fearless stroke play and consistency made him a complete player, with an average of more than 53 in ODIs and a strike rate above 100.
Suryakumar, often called India’s own Mr 360, has carried forward that same spirit in T20 cricket and is now keen to learn from the master himself on how to extend that success to the longer formats.
