Normal for AB, abnormal for lesser mortals!

BENGALURU: Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers must have been relieved when Royal Challengers Bangalore picked some dangerous batsmen at the IPL auction. The franchise also added depth with all-rounders. The famed duo had been carrying the batting for the last few years. The addition of Quinton De Kock, Brendon McCullum and finishers like Corey Anderson was expected to reduce pressure on them. However, if one looks at the first five matches, little has changed. Kohli (231 runs) and De Villiers (212) are again scoring a bulk of the runs.

De Kock (112) and McCullum (47) have been major disappointments so far. De Villiers has played pivotal knocks in both wins so far and despite being a key batsman, he does not feel extra pressure on his shoulders. “I don’t see it like that at all. Every single team has an international player in the top four with the pressure to score more runs, no matter who you are. It’s normal. I don’t feel extra pressure. I don’t think Virat feels it either. We have a team of match-winners and it’s up to us to share the load. I think it’s going to happen this season,” said AB, who completed 3000 runs for Challengers during Saturday’s 39-ball 90 against Delhi Daredevils.

There has been something special about De Villiers this campaign. He is coming into the IPL from back-to-back high-intensity Test series, against India and Australia. He scored six half-centuries and a ton in those games. Competitive cricket against quality sides has helped him prepare for the IPL, although the format is different. “I think if you don’t play cricket before IPL, you’ll be doubting yourself. I had the perfect preparation playing high intensity cricket going into the IPL.

So it’s not a big adjustment at all. It’s a mindset change,” said the South African. De Villiers has been a part of the Challengers since 2011. Still, he has not been able to help his team clinch the title. He wants to make up for it and give the fans more to cheer about. “I love contributing to the team when winning games. I know the fans enjoy when we do that. It’s a relationship and we want to give enough so that they keep coming to games.

The only way to do that is to win, so there is pressure on us. But they (fans) also feel the pressure sitting inside, watching us sometimes not playing well. Hopefully, we will give them pleasure this time.” Their next chance to do that comes on Wednesday, against Chennai Super Kings. ashimsunam@newindianexpress.com

World Cup no more a dream: De Villiers
AB de Villiers has played for South Africa in the last three World Cups, but the title has remained elusive. He no longer sees it as the ultimate dream. “I’ve changed my mindset. My ultimate dream is not to win a World Cup. I feel it will be nice to win, it’ll be a bonus. If I don’t, it’s not going to define my career,”
said De Villiers, who has played 23 matches for 1207 runs in the event. He is the fifth-highest all-time run
scorer in World Cups.