Title: AB de Villiers - The Autobiography
Author: AB de Villiers
Publisher: Pan Macmillan India
Review:
He is South Africa’s Test and ODI captain who initially
played for Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and now turns
out for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He’s been termed the “finest batsman
of his generation” by Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli. His name is chanted
wherever he plays irrespective of the team he turns up for. He is none other
than AB de Villiers, one of the star performers in the cricket world. He made
his test debut for South Africa at the age of twenty and was selected for every
single test his nation played over the subsequent eleven years. He is renowned as
a ferocious T20 and ODI player.
In AB: The Autobiography, Villiers recounts his life since
boyhood till now. He delves into the dreams that he saw during that time and
how some, if not all, of those dreams came to bear fruit. His is a candid tone
as he sets upon the task of reliving his life thus far.
The story starts with what may be considered de Villiers' finest moment as a cricketer, when he broke the record for the fastest
hundred in an ODI, against West Indies in January 2015 at the
Wanderers. What the audience didn’t know and what he himself confesses in
the book is that he was so nervous before the match that he had wished for
somebody else to go in his place. When his request was refused, he stumbled
down the stairs and made a fool of himself in front of his friends who didn’t
give up on the opportunity and had a hearty laugh at his expense. He gained confidence
only when he was out in the field, facing the bowler. The rest is history and
known to every cricket buff.
What is evident from this fine autobiography is that AB has
stayed at the very top for such a long time because he takes nothing for
granted. He is hard working and concentrates on his job, all the while being a
genuinely modest human being. He lives by a code of honour. He has worked on
being disciplined, organized, and professional both on and off the field.
Villiers appreciates how lucky he is to be earning a living
by playing cricket for his country. His dedication and determination was the
reason how he played a major role in South Africa winning in England and
Australia for the first time since readmission, in their unbeaten run on the
road that started in 2006 and only ended in 2015, and in their rise to being
the No. 1 cricket team.
But the book is not just about the matches he played. It sums
up his thoughts on several matters related to the sport itself. He talks of his
fear and his expectations. He is quick to lavish praise on his team mates and
always full of praise for his opponents. He is realistic though often defensive
about certain things. Most importantly, there aren’t any controversial issues
that he discusses in his book. His is an uplifting story and deserves to be
read over and again.
All in all, the book is a must read for all ABD fans. This autobiography is
surprisingly refreshing and utterly absorbing.
About the Author
The statistics tell barely half the story but, so far, AB de
Villiers has scored over 14,000 runs in 98 tests for South Africa, more than
8,000 runs in 190 one-day internationals and more than 40,000 runs in his
professional career. He is mainly distinguished by the style in which he bats
and his humble, determined captaincy of the South African national team in
one-day international cricket.
Buy Links
* I received a review copy
from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
** Picture courtesy:
Amazon.in
