AB de Villiers praises Virat Kohli’s current batting form as unstoppable and flawless

Former South Africa and Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter AB de Villiers has described Virat Kohli‘s current batting form as ‘pretty much unstoppable’, pointing to a relaxed and instinct-driven approach that he believes makes Kohli more dangerous than ever.

Kohli’s recent exploits illustrate the claim. On September 27, 2026, in Thiruvananthapuram, he amassed an unbeaten 139 off 88 balls during the first ODI against the West Indies, striking his 55th ODI hundred and reaching the milestone in just 74 balls. In that innings he also passed 15,000 ODI runs, becoming only the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to achieve that feat. India successfully chased down 296 and secured an eight‑wicket victory.

De Villiers compared Kohli’s present style with his celebrated 2016 version, arguing that the current game is superior because Kohli appears far more settled and free at the crease. He observed that Kohli has shed the intensity and over‑thinking that sometimes held him back, now relying heavily on instinct built over a lifetime of cricket.

“I think it is a better version because of the way he’s so relaxed. And out there in the middle, you can almost see he’s completely free,” de Villiers told Sports Today.

What does AB de Villiers think makes Kohli’s current form different?

De Villiers traced the shift to the ICC Champions Trophy held in the UAE, where he first noticed Kohli adopting a new role. He noted that Kohli briefly reverted to older habits before ultimately letting them go. De Villiers also highlighted a side of Kohli that he feels the public is now seeing more clearly – one focused on his teammates rather than solely on himself.

“He showed signs of that at the last ICC Champions Trophy in the UAE. I started seeing him play a different role, and then he got stuck a little bit again, going back to old habits, and then just sort of let go completely again. But that’s the way I love Virat. And I’ve always, in interviews, said that there’s a side of him that people don’t know. And I think we’re seeing that side more than ever now, where he’s just completely focused almost on other people,” he added.

De Villiers further noted that Kohli, who has retired from T20Is and Test cricket, appears aware of what he can offer in the remaining time at the top level.

“And he realises that all he can do is just go out there and express his talents and let the fans and the people around the world enjoy that for one last time, or for the next two years or three or five years. I don’t know how long,” he said.

Why does de Villiers believe Kohli’s instinct makes him so hard to stop?

De Villiers explained that the blend of freedom and gut feel distinguishes Kohli’s present batting from earlier phases of his career. When Kohli is not overthinking and trusts his natural reading of the game, he becomes exceptionally difficult to contain.

“But yes, I think because he’s so free, he’s making sounder decisions out there. He’s not so intense, he’s not overthinking the game. He’s going a lot on gut feel, it seems, and generally, the gut feel is right. Your instinct takes over, and he’s played this game all his life,” de Villiers said.

He linked this mindset to India’s prospects at the 2027 World Cup and suggested that younger players in the dressing room can learn from Kohli’s current state.

“So when Virat plays with his instinct, he’s pretty much unstoppable. So, well, it’s quite scary to think of where this will go and how good and how big of an impact he’s going to have for Team India in the 2027 World Cup. But I love seeing this side of him. And I think it must be an incredible experience to share a dressing room with him as a youngster now. I think they are learning from him more than ever, being in this state of mind,” he said.

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