Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 11: Former South Africa skipper and global cricket icon AB de Villiers has echoed India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s recent remarks on ODI batting orders, stating that while flexibility is valuable, teams must strike the right balance to maintain defined roles within the line-up.

Speaking on his YouTube channel after India’s 2-1 ODI series triumph over South Africa, de Villiers said he agreed “to a certain extent” with Gambhir’s view that batting orders in the 50-over format are often overrated.

“I’ve always enjoyed a floating batting line-up in ODIs,” he noted. “But there’s a fine line — you can’t play around too much with the players’ roles. The top three, then four to six, and the tailenders form three clear segments. Within that structure, teams can still be creative, using right-left combinations and adapting to match situations.”

The former Proteas superstar also showered praise on Team India for their remarkable run in T20Is, after the Men in Blue clinched the first T20I against South Africa — extending their record to 27 wins in their last 31 matches.

“It’s incredible, especially in T20s, which is the most unpredictable format,” de Villiers said. “To show this level of consistency means something is clearly moving in the right direction. It’s largely due to the incredible depth of Indian cricket.”

Gambhir’s emphasis on flexibility and India’s recent dominance across formats have once again brought to the spotlight the team’s robust bench strength, strategic innovation, and evolving approach under the new leadership framework.