AB de Villiers EXPOSES Virat Kohli, claims ‘outside noise’ destroys him mentally

South Africa legend AB de Villiers stated that his former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate Virat Kohli has faced undue criticism in recent seasons. De Villiers said that the “outside noise” occasionally gets under the former Indian skipper’s skin, adding that it doesn’t necessarily impact his performance.

There is growing curiosity about how Virat Kohli will perform in the IPL 2025 season. Last year, Kohli faced criticism over his strike rate, with notable scrutiny during matches against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Jaipur. RCB lost those games, which fueled the debate.

I Feel Virat Kohli’s Taken Unnecessary Criticism – AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers said that Virat Kohli has faced unnecessary criticism in recent seasons despite performing well with the bat. He said that the “outside noise” might have affected Kohli mentally. De Villiers shared that such external pressures also affected him during his playing days.

“I feel Virat’s taken unnecessary criticism over the last few seasons. I feel he’s batting incredibly well. There’s no doubt some of the outside noise has maybe influenced him a bit,” said de Villiers during Star Sports Press Room while replying to a Hindustan Times query.

“We’re all human, after all. There was lots of outside noise in my playing days that had an effect on me, not necessarily my performance, but you do think about it. You’re only human,” he added.

Definitely Has Those Doubts in His Head – AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers said that players, including Virat Kohli, often question their abilities, their role in the team, and whether they should change their approach. The former cricketer praised Virat for his ability to overcome these mental struggles, especially in crucial moments.

“You go to your hotel room and think, am I still good enough? Should I still be here? Must I ask the coach to maybe bat in a different position? Am I doing the right thing for the team? So Virat, being a great team-man and only a human being after all, definitely has those doubts in his head.”

“But the one thing about Virat is he’s always had the ability to, when it matters most, cross that line for his team, block everything out, and it’s business time. You could see the focus in his eyes at the Champions Trophy.”

RCB Target Maiden IPL Title in 2025 Season

RCB are one of the three teams yet to win an IPL title despite being part of the league since 2008. The Bengaluru team has reached the finals three times (2009, 2011, 2016) but fell short each time. They made it to the playoffs during the last edition but were eliminated in the Eliminator after losing to Rajasthan Royals.

For IPL 2025, RCB appointed Rajat Patidar as captain. The squad includes key players like Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Liam Livingstoneand Tim David, along with experienced pacers like Bhuvneshwar kumar and Josh Hazlewood. RCB will start their campaign on March 22 against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders.

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