10 records that prove AB de Villiers' dominance in the world of cricket

De Villiers is a cricketing enigmaAbraham Benjamin de Villiers, better known as AB de Villiers, is a cricketing enigma, a pleasant one at that. In an effort to describe his batting in the last few years, the print has exhausted its share of adjectives. Still only 31, he has stacked up records that would have fallen far from any cricket fan’s imagination two decades back. While he has impregnated his impact on the game with his gargantuan achievements, he has also stretched batting beyond its realms, giving it a whole new dimension.With unabated talent and statistics to match, De Villiers is the quintessential legend of the modern game. His abilities have been well documented in this digital age, as suggested by these insane numbers that he has churned out over a decade:

#10 Most centuries by a South African in ODIs, Most sixes in a Calendar year

De Villiers was in unstoppable form during the recently concluded ODI series against India

He made an ordinary ODI debut against England in 2005 and took more than two years to post his first ODI ton. On the back of three ducks, he scored a rapid 146 against West Indies in the 2007 World Cup. In an eight-year period from 2007, De Villiers has managed to surpass the likes of Gibbs, Kallis and Kirsten to become the player with most hundreds for South Africa (23). Amazingly, all his 23 centuries have come at a strike rate of more than 100.

He added a new feather to his bulging cap during the recent ODI series against India by becoming the first batsman to hit more than 50 sixes in a calendar year. The record was previously held by Shahid Afridi, who hit 48 in 2002. With two months still to go, De Villiers’ tally currently stands at 58.