Former South Africa captain shares life lessons and cricket insights
A B de Villiers at Shardashram Vidyamandir in Mumbai. Pic/Anurag Ahire
Amidst the World Cup 2023 fever, former South Africa captain A B de Villiers paid a visit to Shardashram Vidya Mandir, the alma mater of cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar. De Villiers interacted with the students of the school and visited the iconic Shivaji Park to watch a Harris Shield inter-school match. He shared tips and life lessons with the students, encouraging them to work diligently to achieve their dreams. Quoting T E Lawrence, he said, “All people dream; but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds awake to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of day are dangerous. That they may act their dreams with open eyes to make them come true.”
Speaking about his association with India, he mentioned, “India has become a second home for cricketers from around the world, thanks to the Indian Premier League (IPL), which has deepened their fascination with Indian culture. Consequently, the love and admiration expressed by these cricketers for India
are doubly profound.”
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He also spoke about his close friendship with Virat Kohli, saying, “My relationship with Virat was very unexpected, started many years ago. Once opponents, we became two best friends. This is just an incredible story of how two people of different cultures, from different countries got together. We respect each other so much. We share so many special memories on the field, but more off the field. I feel very fortunate. Virat has a beautiful heart, is a very humble and down-to-earth person.” He valued his experience of playing alongside Kohli in the IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
De Villiers highlighted Tendulkar’s down-to-earth nature, which he found very inspirational.
Known as “Mr. 360” in the cricketing world, he candidly responded to questions from the students. When one of them asked him which bowler he would love to “hit more,” De Villiers replied, “All of them.” He added, “I dread facing Mohammed Shami, who is bowling really well. I am very happy I am not facing him now, with the form he is in. One of the most difficult bowlers I have faced is Rashid Khan (Afghanistan). At night, it was really difficult to see which way the ball was going, what he was doing with his hands. He is like a magician out there.”
Wishing Proteas to take home their first World Cup, De Villiers said that if South Africa doesn’t reach the final, he would wholeheartedly support India to win. When asked which teams he thinks will reach the final, he promptly said he thinks it will be India and South Africa, to which the crowd cheered. He added, “I will be happy if either of these teams win.”
De Villiers expressed optimism over India reaching the final based on their performance so far. However, he also expressed his desire for South Africa to emerge victorious in the tournament, believing that this would mark a significant milestone for his home country.
Speaking about his hobbies and off-field activities, the cricket great said he plays music and loves watching movies. De Villiers also revealed his admiration for Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma films. He also disclosed his fondness for Indian music by spontaneously singing, ‘Ye Dosti Hum Nahi Todenge, Todenge Dum Magar Tera Saath Na Chodenge’ from Sholay.
Addressing the gathering, Gajendra Shetty, chairman of Shardashram Vidyamandir International School, said, “Having an international cricketing legend interact with our students is an unforgettable moment in the history of our school. We are fortunate that Mr De Villiers offered to interact with our students.”
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