AB de Villiers has named his all-format batters: Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli, his former teammate.
Comparing players from different eras is always a topic of debate, but it’s just opinion so the results can be shocking. After considering Brian Lara, De Villiers picked three great batters from different times.
His list of top bowlers was even more interesting, he picked a mix of pace, accuracy and swing.
AB de Villiers’ top three batters: Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli
Top three bowlers: Mohammad Asif, Dale Steyn, Glenn McGrath
.@ABdeVilliers17 reveals the batters and bowlers who stood out to him, the names that left a lasting impression. 👏#WCL2025 👉 18th July to 2nd August, Every Day Live on Star Sports Network pic.twitter.com/2jUrgNDXvO
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 26, 2025
Whether you agree with his picks or not, De Villiers’ choices show who had a real impact on his career and who he respects most.
Sachin Tendulkar, who has scored the most runs in all formats, was missing from De Villiers’ list. Kumar Sangakkara, who is second on that list, was also not mentioned.
Kohli is third with 27,599 runs in 550 matches, averaging 52.27. Ponting scored 27,483 runs in 560 matches, averaging 45.95, with 71 centuries.
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De Villiers’ bowlers list didn’t include Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, James Anderson or Anil Kumble.
McGrath is fifth for most wickets taken with 949 in 376 matches and an economy of 2.93.
