In a rare moment of candour, de Villiers admitted that Kohli had ignored him for months last year, after what he calls a “blunder” involving the Indian cricketer's private life.
It was a sight that melted millions of cricket-loving hearts.
On June 3, at Ahmedabad’s mammoth Narendra Modi Stadium, just minutes before Royal Challengers Bengaluru squared off against Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final, two of cricket's most iconic faces—Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers—shared a long, emotional embrace. Hours later, as RCB finally shed their “underachievers” tag to clinch their first-ever IPL title, the two legends were all smiles—speaking to the media, posing for cameras, celebrating like brothers.
But this wasn’t always the case.
Speaking to Cricket.com, the former South African star pulled back the curtain on a moment that had threatened their famously close bond.
In a rare moment of candour, de Villiers admitted that Kohli had ignored him for months last year, after what he calls a “blunder” involving the Indian cricketer's private life.
“Thank goodness he started talking to me again,” the former Proteas captain confessed, referencing a now-infamous slip-up from early 2024 when he inadvertently revealed on his YouTube channel that Kohli had stepped away from cricket due to his wife, Anushka Sharma, being pregnant with their second child.
The backlash was swift. And, as de Villiers later acknowledged, the information was not only sensitive, it wasn’t his to share.
“I had a footfall,” he says, using the term with self-deprecating honesty. “I made a big mistake on my YouTube channel. That information was wrong and not true at all. Family comes first, and Virat had every right to take time off.”
The moment cost him more than just a retraction. It cost him his regular chats with Kohli.
“He stopped talking to me,” de Villiers shared.
“It was only about six months ago that we started speaking again. We’re good now, and I’m grateful.”
Despite the rift, it was clear Kohli still valued his old friend’s wisdom. De Villiers revealed that the Indian maestro, who had opted out of the England Test series in early 2024 citing personal reasons, later reached out for advice on navigating tough phases in a career.
“We all know Virat’s been through a bit of a patch,” de Villiers said.
“He wanted to bounce some thoughts off me, how I coped with stepping away, the pressures of leadership, of expectations. I shared my experiences with him, honestly, from the heart.”
The timing was no coincidence. Kohli had just returned from a break during which he and Anushka welcomed their son, Akaay, on February 15, 2024. Although de Villiers’ premature disclosure had indeed turned out to be factually correct, the damage to their friendship had already been done.
“Whatever the reason for his break, I just hoped he would come back stronger,” de Villiers had said during the SA20 league, visibly remorseful. “No one really knows what’s happening in someone’s personal life.”
And yet, as the IPL 2025 final showed, time and titles have a way of healing wounds. That hug on the field wasn’t just a celebration of victory. It was a quiet, powerful truce.
© 2025