AB de Villiers, former South African skipper, was inducted into the Hall of Fame during a star-studded event at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday. De Villiers has been an integral part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) family during his time in the franchise from 2011 to 2021. Along with Chris Gayle, he was honoured by RCB for their contribution to the team during the Unbox event on Sunday. Their jersey numbers were also permanently retired as a mark of respect.
In an emotional Instagram post, de Villiers expressed his gratitude towards Virat Kohli and his RCB family. He said that his heart blossomed as his wife, two boys, and little girl walked up the stairs to enter the RCB den. Tears filled his eyes when he stepped onto the balcony of their dressing room at the Chinnaswamy in front of a packed stadium. He never thought hearing the chants of “ABD” could beat the first time, but this time was different.
De Villiers added that he had a deep connection with India and its people since 2003, and he would forever be grateful for his time in the arena representing a proud city, an amazing franchise, and incredible teammates. He thanked his teammates, especially Virat Kohli, RCB, and Bengaluru for their support.
