AB De Villiers

[yabsy]

I guess so, but others have played through more despite enduring form slumps of their own.

ABdV slumped in 2006/07 and 2015/16. From memory, he got a pair and then left the Test team for two years.

Not many others.

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[DaRick]

With his age and background I always wondered whether de Villers and CSA where ever on quite the same wave length

A White Afrikaaner being at odds with CSA's objectives wasn't unheard of. Far from it, actually.

 

[tricknologist]

ABDV was brilliant, but he's behind Amla, let alone the likes of Lara/Tendulkar/Sangakkara. ABDV ended with a better average, but their peaks coincided and Amla peaked higher despite playing a much tougher role.

 

[PhatBoy]

ABDV was brilliant, but he's behind Amla, let alone the likes of Lara/Tendulkar/Sangakkara. ABDV ended with a better average, but their peaks coincided and Amla peaked higher despite playing a much tougher role.

How did Amla play a tougher role? I know he was a specialist 3 so I get that part but De Villiers opened in 20-odd matches and was a wicketkeeper in a further 20-odd.
He batted 23 or more times in 4 positions. He was literally used wherever they chose to put him. I would argue that in itself is just as tough a role - ie. not actually having one.

And fwiw I was a huge Amla fan too

 

[tricknologist]

How did Amla play a tougher role? I know he was a specialist 3 so I get that part but De Villiers opened in 20-odd matches and was a wicketkeeper in a further 20-odd.
He batted 23 or more times in 4 positions. He was literally used wherever they chose to put him. I would argue that in itself is just as tough a role - ie. not actually having one.

And fwiw I was a huge Amla fan too

Because Amla batted at 3 while ABDV had the cushion of batting behind Smith, Amla, and Kallis for the majority of his career. That's not to downplay ABDV's achievements, he had a brilliant career and he's one of my all time favourites. I just think batting at 3 is the much tougher job, especially when you play most of your games in South Africa.

 

[Gethelred]

How did Amla play a tougher role? I know he was a specialist 3 so I get that part but De Villiers opened in 20-odd matches and was a wicketkeeper in a further 20-odd.
He batted 23 or more times in 4 positions. He was literally used wherever they chose to put him. I would argue that in itself is just as tough a role - ie. not actually having one.

And fwiw I was a huge Amla fan too

If I'm honest, as good as ABDV was, I preferred watching Amla bat.

 

[PhatBoy]

If I'm honest, as good as ABDV was, I preferred watching Amla bat.

He was beautiful to watch

 

[DaRick]

Amla was like Ponting, in that his record doesn't reflect how good he was at his peak.

Unlike ABdV, he stuck around even when he was clearly declining.

 

[DaRick]

Not many others.View attachment 1893062

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Injury's a thing though.

Over 13 years and 4 months, ABdV played 114 Test matches. That's fair going, but over that same period, Ricky Ponting played 131 Test matches, and unlike ABdV he wasn't always a permanent fixture in the AUS side during that time. In fact, he was dropped more than once during the 90s (and was injured in early 2000).

 

[010203]

He was an all time great but I can't get behind this idea