AB de Villiers was officially inducted into the prestigious International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame, alongside Alastair Cook and Neetu David, on Wednesday. Recognised for his extraordinary impact on the sport, De Villiers has been one of cricket's most iconic players, leaving behind a legacy that transcends boundaries.

His versatility and innovation with the bat made him a global sensation, known for effortlessly adapting across all formats of the game. De Villiers’ inclusion in the ICC Hall of Fame is a fitting tribute to his illustrious career, where he played 114 Tests, 228 ODIs, and 78 T20Is for South Africa.

Following the announcement, Virat Kohli penned a heartfelt note to congratulate his former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate, describing de Villiers as "the most talented" cricketer he had the privilege of playing alongside.

Kohli, who himself is a modern great, credited De Villiers with inspiring him during their years together at RCB, where the pair formed one of the most formidable partnerships in T20 cricket. Kohli also recalled a match against the Kolkata Knight Riders during the 2016 Indian Premier League season, where RCB reached the final.

“You are thoroughly deserving of your place – after all, the Hall of Fame is a representation of your impact on the game, and yours has been truly unique,” Kohli began.

"People have always spoken about your ability, and rightly so. You are the most talented cricketer I have played with, the absolute number one.

"But what truly stood out to me was your belief in that ability. You had a crazy amount of belief that you could execute whatever you wanted to on a cricket field, and you normally did. That is why you ended up being so special.

“There is no better example in my mind than when we were batting together for RCB in Kolkata in 2016.”

ABD vs Narine

Kohli, in his letter, revealed how AB de Villiers was having significant trouble facing Sunil Narine, and how, despite the chat between the two over handing the strike to Kohli, the South African eventually slog-swept Narine for a 94-metre six the very next delivery.

"We were chasing 184 against an attack including Sunil Narine, Morne Morkel, Andre Russell and Shakib Al Hasan. You came in to join me with around 70 on the board and Narine was bowling.

"You played and missed a couple and told me during a timeout that you weren’t picking him too well. I felt I was, so I remember telling you to give me the strike and I would try and hit boundaries off him.

"In the first over Narine bowled after the timeout, I was ready at the non-striker’s end thinking you were definitely giving me a single. So, imagine my surprise when you back away to the leg side, Sunil follows you and you slog sweep him over square leg for a 94-metre six!

"I don’t know what happened in the timeout to give you the belief you could do that. I just remember saying to you, “you’re a freak!”

Kohli further stated that he would only try to “get off strike” if he didn't have the self-belief of playing a bowler, and that de Villiers' decision to take an aggressive route against Narine “summed” him up as a cricketer.

"If I have a lack of belief against someone, I’d just try and get off strike – but you hit him for a 94-metre six without picking the ball. That sums you up. You could just do things our minds were not ready to process, and then everyone thinks ‘how the hell did that happen?’.

“That is just one of so many fond memories I have batting alongside you, times which provided some of the most fun I have had on a cricket field,” said Kohli.

Read Also: 'India can do what they like, can't they?': England women's coach drops bombshell rant after T20 World Cup exit

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON !