When Virat Kohli first burst onto the scene, he brought a certain youthful exuberance to the Indian cricket team. Inked with tattoos and pierced with a stud in the ear, Kohli's brash nature didn't bode well with many fans who weren't accustomed to such players in the past. Many people perceived Kohli as an 'arrogant' guy during his early days as a player, whether it was in international cricket or the Indian Premier League. In an interview with Chris Gayle prior to the start of the IPL 2023 season, AB de Villiers stated that he, too, believed Kohli was 'arrogant and cocky' when they first met.
Misunderstood character
In an episode of RCB Bold Diaries, De Villiers revealed his first impression of Kohli. The former South Africa captain admitted that while from the outside he had a different opinion on Kohli, his view flipped the moment he got to know the former Indian captain and witnessed the human being he was from close quarters.
"Oh my goodness!! I have been asked this question before and I had given this answer before as well. I think he was quite cocky and arrogant when I met him the first time. With that hairstyle and he had bit of a strut going...yes flamboyant, absolutely.
"But the minute I got to know him a bit better and watched him play I mean I've got as much respect for him but I got to know him better as a human being. I think he had a barrier around him when I met him the first time and that barrier opened up and I got to know the person," De Villiers said.
"I didn't not like him but you know what I'm saying. He's a top person now but first impression was ufff...he's got to come down to earth a bit," De Villiers said in the video, during a chat with Gayle," he added.
De Villiers whose herioics at the the Chinnaswamy made him a crowd favorite, retired from all forms of the game in 2021. The explosive South African batsman was delight on the eye and appreciated by not just RCB fans but rival fans as well.
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