ICC Hall of Fame

Making his international debut as an opening batter in a Test against England in 2004, de Villiers was arguably the first great three-format international batter, flourishing against both the red and white ball up and down the South African batter order where required.

With a rare ability to adapt to any match situation and renowned for manipulating opposition field settings with his range of shots, de Villiers at times was blistering, hitting the fastest-ever ODI hundred in just 31 balls in 2015. But he could also show immense grit and patience, in one instance making 174 (381) in a near-nine-hour stay at the crease in a Test victory over England at Headingley in 2008.

Not only boasting Test and ODI batting averages over 50, and a T20I strike rate of over 135, de Villiers is also regarded as one of the game’s finest fielders, also excelling as a wicket-keeper. For South Africa, only Jacques Kallis boasts more international runs than de Villiers’ 20,014, and the right-hander also joins England’s Joe Root as the only players to have made a half-century in 12 consecutive Test matches.

De Villiers claimed the ICC Men’s ODI Player of the Year award on three occasions (2010, 2014 and 2015) and was selected in both the ODI and T20I Team of the Decade from 2010-2020. He was also named in the ICC Test Team of the Year XI on four occasions (including a selection as 12th Man in 2012).