AB will be more popular than Sachin Tendulkar: Fanie de Villiers

Mumbai: South Africa’s ODI skipper AB de Villiers is regarded as one of the most destructive players in all three formats of the game. His presence itself at the crease is a nightmare for bowlers. With an average of 52.09 and 54.21 in Tests and ODIs respectively, de Villiers has impressed experts and former cricketers with his 360 degree style of play while clobbering the ball all round the park.

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The recently concluded ODI series against hosts Team India saw 31-year-old de Villiers score three tons to help the Proteas outclass Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men.

With his lethal performances, de Villiers is slowly but surely inching towards Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar-like greatness and while it is too early to compare him to the ‘Little Master’, former South Africa bowler Petrus Stephanus de Villiers, aka Fanie de Villiers, believes AB will become even more popular than Sachin.

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"Can I tell you something about AB de Villiers? AB is going to be more popular than Sachin Tendulkar in world cricket," Fanie was quoted as saying in a report in an Indian daily.

"That's the calibre of a person we are talking about; that's the cricketer we are talking about; that's the loveable, marketable player we are talking about. He is in the Sachin Tendulkar category. If you are in the Tendulkar category, when it comes to marketing the game of cricket, you are special," he reckoned.

Fanie also went on to say that de Villiers’ records are better than Sachin and the Protea is better than the Indian in ODIs.

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"You can compare his records with Tendulkar; you feel this guy is even better than Tendulkar in ODIs. You can compare his popularity around the world and at home, he is in the category of Sachin Tendulkar. It's a privilege to be in that class or category on and off the field. He is very much the same as Tendulkar," he said.

"Who else do the Indian public cheer for as much as AB? Not many. AB is that sort of cricketer. He should have been Test and T20 captain as well. They (CSA) deprived AB of not captaining South Africa in all formats. ODI cricket is always difficult but I think you can truly rate the captain in Tests.

There are too many variables in ODI cricket. I know for the fact that players enjoy AB's company more than anybody else, players will support him more than anybody else. He is good enough to be a captain. He is the marketing icon of South African cricket and that is the captain. The captain is just judged on how good he is on-field, off the field, has marketing appeal and experience. He has got everything," Fanie signed off.