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AB de Villiers, tormenter of Australia, retires from international cricket

Related Story: AB de Villiers takes unreal 'Spider-Man' catch in IPL

The never-ending argument over who holds the title as the 'best batsman in the world' tends to rotate through names in cycles, with new world-beaters emerging every few years seemingly shinier and better than the generation before.

But as the arguments have moved from Tendulkar to Ponting to Cook to Clarke to Kohli to Smith, one name remained constant. And every now and then he offered convincing evidence that the answer to this question is, and perhaps always was, AB de Villiers.

De Villiers was a player ahead of his time, so much so that he forced cricket to catch up with him. Nicknamed 'Mr 360' for his ability to hit every point on the compass with his unparalleled stroke-play, his once fanciful shots now sit comfortably in any T20 batter's textbook.

His great innings reflect the diversity of the player — the explosive, record-breaking centuries; the grinding, team-first fights to save Tests; the elegant, effortless knocks that made it appear as if he was playing a different game to his struggling team-mates.

No opponent went unscathed from de Villiers' brilliance, but Australia copped it as much as anyone. From the very start of his career to the very end, de Villiers defied and defeated the Aussies, winning respect and admiration along the way.

106* in Perth, 2008

Perhaps Australia underestimated a young AB — who, by the Perth Test in December 2008, had not scored a century in 14 Test innings against the Aussies — or perhaps they just thought defending 413 would be a piece of cake.

External Link: AB de Villiers 106* in Perth, 2008

Either way, they were wrong. In compiling his first Test ton against Australia, de Villiers showcased all the flash, flair and flourish that would take him to the very top.

He slashed Brett Lee over the slips cordon, pulled Mitchell Johnson in front of square off the front foot, deflected Peter Siddle to all corners and belted Jason Krejza back over his head. Over and over again.

South Africa would win the Test — the second-highest fourth-innings run chase in history — and Australia would never underestimate AB de Villiers again.

33 in Adelaide, 2012

For a batsman to have a score of 33 among their finest innings, they would probably either need to be very special or very average. There's no disputing which category AB falls into.

AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis chat

On this day, the very same man who would go on to score an ODI century off 31 balls would grind Australia into the dust with 33 off 246. There was a Test to save, a series to clinch, and de Villiers had a job to do.

Along with Faf du Plessis, whose century was perhaps even more memorable, de Villiers defended for hour upon hour, defying Australia's push for victory to complete one of the most memorable draws of all time.

It was boring, and it was wildly frustrating for the hosts. But it was the sort of Test innings very few are capable of, and was a perfect showcase of de Villiers' masterful control.

169 in Perth, 2012

Having shut up shop in Adelaide a week earlier, de Villiers arrived in Perth ready to let loose.

External Link: AB de Villiers 150 in Perth, 2012

One of the hallmarks of any great AB knock was his ability to control his own tempo, and in doing so dictate the pace of the game to the bowlers. He could take the sting out of a rampaging attack if need be, and then press his team onto the front foot when he was ready.

In truth, he came in with his team in a commanding position thanks to a fine partnership between Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla, but from there de Villiers stole the show. He moved through the gears effortlessly, before reaching a crescendo once he had passed his ton.

169 off 225 balls was the best score de Villiers would ever muster against the Aussies, and it set up a memorable series win.

126* in Port Elizabeth, 2018

His last great knock against Australia may well go down as his best. In a series of controversy and disgrace, de Villiers stood out for his class, with this innings in Port Elizabeth an absolute masterclass of batting.

AB de Villiers plays a cut shot as Tim Paine watches behind the stumps.

From the first ball he faced, and amid almost constant chaos at the other end, de Villiers was in total control. He mastered the swinging ball, the spin of Lyon and the pace of Starc to leave an on-fire Australian attack looking helpless.

Forced to bat with the tail for much of his innings, and with the Australian field spread to an almost embarrassing extent, de Villiers crafted his century with the purest placement and timing. It's difficult to overstate just how impressive this innings was — it was as close to batting perfection as you will see.

At its conclusion, de Villiers offered the summary all of Australia had long suspected, but now had confirmed — "I just feel that extra bit of magic against the Aussies".

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