'Virat Kohli was a bit cocky': AB de Villiers makes honest admission

NEW DELHI: As the cricket world gears up for IPL 2026, one of the tournament’s most iconic "bromances" is back in the spotlight. AB de Villiers, the legendary South African batter and former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stalwart, has made a candid admission regarding his first impression of former captain Virat Kohli.

While the duo eventually became the most feared batting pair in T20 history, De Villiers revealed that it wasn't exactly "friendship at first sight". Speaking about their early encounters on Mbangwa Media YouTube channel, the man known as Mr. 360 confessed that Kohli’s initial demeanour rubbed him the wrong way.

“I didn’t initially like him a lot, to be honest. He was a bit cocky, you know, and I’ve told him that before. I’ve said it in many interviews. We sort of laugh at that now,” De Villiers remarked.





However, the Proteas legend was quick to clarify that this perceived arrogance was actually a mirror image of his own personality.

“Why I say cocky is because I probably saw a similar kind of thing that I have in him; it’s that competitive drive," he added. "It’s that thing that you’re born with, that I don’t like losing, nothing is going to change that. So I probably saw that in Virat initially when I met him.”

The ice began to melt as the two spent more time together on the international circuit. De Villiers noted that beneath the aggressive exterior was a cricketer driven by a profound sense of duty to his team.

“Then in the second or third meeting, getting to hear his voice and hear him speak, I’m like, oh okay, he’s also just human, you know, just a nice guy who’s got a deep drive of wanting to perform and win games of cricket for his country,” he added.

The foundation of their legendary RCB partnership was actually laid during a tense Test match at the Wanderers after RCB picked Kohli. Despite being in the heat of an international battle, Kohli reached out to his future teammate.

“And I remember in that tunnel, he came up to me, he’s like, ‘I’m glad you’re on our team.’ And we sort of vibed, like we’re going to be good friends. In the middle of a Test match, we would hardly ever speak to each other, and he just went like, ‘Yes, I’m so glad we got you.’ I’m like, okay, this guy actually likes me, we can maybe be mates,” De Villiers recalled


Celebrating India's sporting legends at the Times of India Sports Awards - Book Passes Now!