6. AB de Villiers
Overall: 20,014 runs at 48.11 ave; 219 dismissals
De Villiers defied physics and geometry with his ability to hit the ball anywhere in a cricket ground and out of it. He combined the classics of timing through the covers and a placement on the pull with innovation, which meant that before the scoop, paddle and ramp shot were regularly part of batters' repertoires, he was playing them, and playing them against some of the world's best.
He approached batting with the concentration of a monk and the creativity of an artist, in that order. From a stable head with eyes on the ball, he used the crease well and played with soft hands and quick wrists. A natural athlete, de Villiers was also quick between the wickets and exceptional behind the stumps. He served as South Africa's designated wicketkeeper between 2012 and 2015 and as ODI captain between 2012 and 2017.
In that format, he led from the front and registered 53 fifties and 25 centuries in an ODI career of 228 games. His brutal strokeplay earned him the format's fastest fifty (off 16 balls), and hundred (off 31 balls) in the same match, and the fastest 150 (off 64 balls), which remain records to this day. He also continues to hold South Africa's highest ODI average: 54.17.
While headline writers will remember those feats, de Villiers' ability to turn Tests around with innings that injected impetus into the match was equally unmatched. The standout example was his 169 against Australia in Perth in 2012.
JP Duminy on AB de Villiers: AB de Villiers is one of the greatest players I've played with and watched, and the characteristic that stands out is his timing on the ball, especially when facing some of the quickest and best bowlers in the world.There was minimal foot movement, and an ability to have great timing and an unbelievable eye. There are two distinct moments I remember: one was 2014, it was a Test match at Centurion and Mitchell Johnson was bowling at the speed of light. When you watched AB de Villiers, it looked like the guy was bowling at 130. He had so much time on the ball, and the ability to hit in front of square quite comfortably, where most of us could only really get the ball behind square. The second one was an ODI we played at Wanderers against England. I remember batting with him and he was facing Stuart Broad. In his first three balls, he double-stepped him and smacked him back over his head for six. Why that stood out was his ability to have the confidence and commitment to do something out of the ordinary and to change momentum within the game. And now, playing in the WCL with him this year, it felt like he hasn't lost anything, really.
The greatest men's internationals: the list, jury and method
Stats are for the 2000-2025 period
