Former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers on Wednesday opined that the lockdown due to coronavirus has come down as a blessing in disguise for his Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate Virat Kohli as the free time will help him re-draw his plans and freshen up before international cricket resumes once again as he expects big things from the Indian skipper over the course of next four to five years.
"Maybe this lockdown has come in at a good time for him (Kohli) where he can really refresh, reset the boundaries again and go again. I'm expecting big things from him in the next three to five years," De Villiers told Harsha Bhogle on a Cricbuzz in Conversation episode on Wednesday.
De Villiers also talked about the camaraderie they share on the field that has resulted in some impressive batting partnerships for IPL franchise RCB two of which are record-breaking stands.
"Virat is a more reliable batsman. He’s the one you want to bat for 15 overs. I am better in a way I could change the game quicker, have an injection that could swing the game. So together we are a nice combo," De Villiers added.
"We take on different bowlers. I personally like to attack a little earlier, not to show weakness early on. I am earlier to the trigger. I want the bowlers to feel early on that it will be trouble if I’m allowed to bat for 5 overs," De Villiers told Harsha Bhogle.
"You need to extend your arms with the short ball. It's a difficult one for the mind to understand. The quicker the bowler is, the more you think you need more time, you need to pull in. But you actually need to (extend your arms and) fetch it. It becomes a lot easier to control it. That's what I think Virat got right in the last few years. He extends his arms and then rolls his wrists to keep it down," De Villiers said
