An innings of quality and character

It was nothing short of a master-class. Technique was paramount. Yet it was simple. Feet, shoulder, head, stance, grip — all the ingredients of good batsmanship were inherent in AB de Villiers’s innings on Monday at the Kotla. It was a knock that was sublime to the core because it was constructed with six to seven men hovering around him at any given time, and the pressure mounting with every delivery.

He did not middle every ball. Some did hit the pad but only when he wanted them to thud into the protective gear. Edges were rare as the fielders waited in anticipation for eternity. The nick eluded them, and one watched in awe and admiration as the batsman constructed his innings with diligence and caution associated with old world batting.

Former Pakistan opener Majid Khan was elegance-personified at the crease. A caress here and gentle placement there would leave opposition captains in a trance when Majid was on song. And he did it in great style with literally no movement of feet. de Villiers was channelising Majid on Monday, though with a difference: de Villiers was not looking to score; Majid would keep the scorer busy.

“What a batsman!” tweeted V.V.S. Laxman in an instance of a stroke-player raving about another, who was playing stone-waller for a change.

It was an extraordinary transformation; de Villiers assumed the role only because the situation demanded him to. It was remarkable for a compulsive and innovative shot-maker to completely change his approach. He was happy enough to grind away.

International cricket today lacks characters who can light up the contest with flawless technique, and it has come to impact the image of the game too. Only a handful would qualify to be counted in the same category as de Villiers: Joe Root of England, Steve Smith of Australia, Younis Khan of Pakistan and Kane Williamson of New Zealand — all players of rare quality, all committed to putting value to their wicket.

Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have the potential to be counted among the elite if they can achieve greater consistency at the crease.

It was amazing how de Villiers blunted the bowlers with little footwork. He did not have to rock back or lunge forward to tackle the bowlers’ guile. He often played from stance position, the bat dead and straight, his mind unwavering. He endured blows but did not retreat.

There was no pad-play either. Jimmy Adams, the former West Indies wicketkeeper, was notorious for his padding skills. No wonder he earned the nickname ‘Padams’.

But de Villiers was a delight even when he presented a lifeless bat to the ball. It was as good an exhibition of purposeful batting as any in recent times, a batsman protecting his wicket on a pitch unsuited to his style.

It needed a gem of a ball to end a gem of an innings.