Top 10 extra-ordinary batsmen of current times

1. AB de Villiers (South Africa)

AB de Villiers started off as a wicket-keeper who can bat as well. But as time went by, he concentrated more on his batting and went on to be one of the best in world cricket. I have seen batsman with temperament, batsman with aggression – but not a batsman who is gifted with both these talents. He is an electrifying fielder who can jump across grounds but still pull up with scintillating catches. Ab Devilliers has atleast 10 different shots for scoring a ball, a quality you would associate with Sachin Tendulkar. The variety of shots AB de Villiers showcases makes him so special. Even the best of bowlers find it tough to bowl to this man. The adjustments he brings to his game in each formats is worth mentioning. He knows to play the anchor role and play a slow innings in a test match as well as play the aggressor in One Day match. Devilliers and Duplessis saved a test match for South Africa in Australia, but the same scored a 162 off 66 balls. That is how dynamnic and flexible this lad is. Batsmen usually tend to pick the bad balls to boundary, but the awesomeness of De Villiers is he doesn’t let even the good balls away. There have been people who have done that, but often lose their wicket in the next ball. But he has had his share of failures in the 2006-07 season. He went back to basics and concentrated on the minute things and then there have been no looking back. The only part where he looks like a stranger is with the ball. He can bat, keep wickets, captains his side and is excellent in the field as well. Inspite of all the plaudits he is humble and still eager enough to learn new things to improve his game. The main feature with his batting is finds the right mix between temperament and aggression. Cricmatez picks AB de Villiers as the No.1 batsman with extraordinary talent.