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'I'd Fall Over, Touch My Head..'- AB de Villiers Reveals Three Toughest Bowlers He Has Ever Faced

image-ljmtdvuqDe Villiers named Bumrah as one of the toughest bowlers [Source: Twitter]

Former South African captain AB de Villiers is hailed as one of the finest-ever batters to grace the game. Regarded as Mr 360, De Villiers was a brutal force to reckon with the bat, as he played a pivotal role in taking the Proteas national side to new heights under his regime. 

Although it's believed that De Villiers barely had any weakness, the former RCB player has recently named three bowlers who thoroughly challenged him in his playing days. Speaking to former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa, the 39-year-old revealed that Shane Warne, Jasprit Bumrah and Rashid Khan were the toughest bowlers he faced in his international career. 

While praising Warne, De Villiers recalled a Test match against Australia, where the legendary Australian tweaker trapped him with his wily variations. The erstwhile cricketer addressed Warne as one of the smartest bowlers, acknowledging him for his game awareness. 

"I think Shane Warne in 2006, the first time I travelled to Australia, not so much because of skill and technique, as just the presence of the man and the aura he carried. He was just a smart and incredible player. That's my technique; it's not quite spot on when it comes to playing straight. So, he was really going slow, slow, slider and straight and I missed the straight one. I would fall over, touch with my head. I mean I had to go back to the drawing board to figure out my technique."

Furthermore, he lauded Bumrah and Rashid for their incredible skillset and sheer competitiveness. 

"Bumrah was always very challenging because he was so competitive. I got a hold of him a few times. He came back at me and got a hold of me a few times and I loved that competitiveness. Rashid Khan, tough to pick at night once again. Got him a few times and he'd always come back in your face. These are the kind of bowlers I always found difficult to face and always had a lot of respect for."