AB de Villiers retired from all forms of cricket last year. The South African great finished his 15-year career with 8765 runs in 114 Test matches at an average of more than 50. The 38-year-old has since been spending time with his family and is expected to get associated to the Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2023. 

ABD, on Monday, admitted that he watched the highlights of the ongoing Test between India and England. He added that two Indian batters ‘are the best I have seen’.

The former Protea skipper was talking about Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant. The two forged a 222-run partnership for the sixth wicket in the first innings at Edgbaston, Birmingham. They joined hands when India were reeling at 98/5. While the team finished with 416 runs, the former scored 104 runs and the latter smashed 146. 

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Praising the duo, ABD tweeted, “Haven’t been home and missed most of the Cricket action. Finished watching the highlights now. That counterattack partnership from @RishabhPant17 and @imjadeja is right up there with the best I’ve ever seen in Test Cricket.”

After putting up a mammoth total in the first innings, India, led by Jasprit Bumrah, managed to dismiss England for 284, taking a lead of 132. 

Also Read: Was Virat Kohli behind Jonny Bairstow’s ‘beast mode’ vs India?

In the second innings, Cheteshwar Pujara led India’s efforts by scoring 66 runs. Pant followed his first innings heroics with another half-century. Bumrah and co 198/5 after 61 overs, a lead of 330 runs. 

Also Read: Ravindra Jadeja joins Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni in elite-list after Edgbaston 100 versus England

Bowling-wise, Mohammed Siraj was the pick of the bowlers for India as he scalped four wickets. For England, Jonny Bairstow played a knock of 106 runs off140 balls with the help of 14 fours and two  sixes.

England are facing the prospect of a daunting fourth-innings target but Bairstow said “whatever we’re set, we’ll try and chase.” He also talked about the challenge of facing India’s new ball pair of Mohammed Shami and stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah, who were able to bowl almost unchanged through the first 30 overs of the innings.