Former South African star AB de Villiers has opened up about his challenging experience with the Delhi Daredevils (now renamed Delhi Capitals) during the early years of the Indian Premier League (IPL). De Villiers also stated that there were "lots of poisonous characters" within the squad at that time.
AB de Villiers began his IPL career with the Delhi-based franchise, which signed him for $300,000 in the inaugural auction. The South African wicketkeeper-batter played 28 matches for Delhi in the tournament before joining Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where he had a memorable stint.
AB de Villiers recently recalled sharing the dressing room with legends like Glenn McGrath and Daniel Vettori. He also revealed that the team environment was deeply troubled. De Villiers said that the squad had several "poisonous characters," without naming individuals.
“I would hate to give you names. Burning people, you know. But the Delhi Daredevils were in shambles. I mean, it was. There were lots of poisonous characters in that side," de Villiers told Cricket.com.
“Lots of legends. So it’s such a bittersweet moment for me because I speak… I remember it fondly. And some of the highlights of my life and career was there, spending time with Glenn McGrath and Daniel Vettori," he added.
During the early years of the IPL, the Delhi team built a squad with players such as Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, and Glenn McGrath.
I Was So Scared of Them Growing Up - AB de Villiers
The former Proteas skipper recalled being intimidated by players like Glenn McGrath. AB de Villiers said that he found himself sitting beside McGrath just two years later, during the IPL in 2008.
"That’s where we got close. But these guys were my heroes and I was so scared of them growing up," he added. “Like McGrath. I mean, I played against him in 2006 in a Test match and I could hardly breathe, literally, and never spoke a word to him. And then in the next minute, I’m sitting here in 2008 and he sits next to me and goes, I like the way you play. I’m like, what’s going on there?"
It Was a Very Bittersweet Three Years for Me - AB de Villiers
De Villiers said that he cherished moments with legendary teammates. The veteran batter admitted that he didn’t feel fully supported by the franchise during his three-year stint, which made the overall experience bittersweet.
“So from those highs to also realising that there were some cancerous characters inside and no need to mention names, So it was a very bittersweet three years for me. Also, I wasn’t backed as I would have liked to," he said.
The 41-year-old scored just 95 runs in six games during the inaugural season. Delhi reached the semi-finals before losing to eventual champions Rajasthan Royals. He improved his performance in the 2009 season in South Africa, where he scored 465 runs at an impressive average of 51.67.
However, Delhi once again lost in the semi-final, this time to the Deccan Chargers. The following season proved disappointing, as the team failed to qualify for the knockout stage.
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