Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has revealed his list of the top five cricketers he ever played against, naming Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif among the elite group.
Surprisingly, the 40-year-old did not include his close friend and former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate Virat Kohli in the list.
Instead, de Villiers explained why he chose Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar over Kohli, even apologising after being reminded of the omission by England spinner Adil Rashid.
“[Jacques] Kallis, [Andrew] Flintoff, Mohammad Asif, [Shane] Warne and Sachin with the crowds. The way he (Sachin) was received when he walked out to bat — everything would come to a standstill. Beautiful to watch him bat. Virat sorry, Sachin. That’s why such questions are so tough to answer,” de Villiers said.
Reflecting on the toughest opponents he faced during his illustrious career, the right-handed batter shared his admiration for some of the game’s greatest cricketers, naming players who left a lasting impression on him both with their skills and personalities.
“Kallis is the best all-rounder, or maybe the best cricketer of all time. Asif was the best seamer I ever faced. I loved playing against Warne, but I never found it difficult. I liked his overall personality — the floppy hat, the zinc cream, the blonde hair,” he said.
“Then Andrew Flintoff, who was a big-match performer. That yorker to Kallis in Edgbaston is the best I have ever seen,” he added.
De Villiers himself remains one of the most celebrated figures in modern cricket. Over a 14-year international career, he scored prolifically, averaging 50.66 in 114 Tests and 53.50 in 228 ODIs for South Africa.
Most recently, he captained South Africa Champions in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 429 runs in six innings at a staggering strike rate of 220.
Under his leadership, the side clinched the title after defeating Pakistan in the final.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Asif represented Pakistan in 23 Tests, where he claimed 106 wickets at an economy rate of 2.99. He also featured in 38 ODIs, taking 46 wickets at 4.71 runs per over, along with 13 wickets in 11 T20Is at an economy of 8.00.
