Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has opened up about his first impression of Virat Kohli, revealing that he initially found the Indian star “arrogant and cocky.” However, De Villiers explained that his opinion was based on Kohli’s high level of confidence, which he believes played an important role in the batter’s success. Over the years, Kohli and De Villiers have developed a close friendship, especially during their time together at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Their bond goes beyond cricket, with both players sharing great respect and admiration for each other.

During a podcast, The former South Africa captain replied,“Yeah, and I think he'll agree with that.” Explaining his thoughts, De Villiers said, “Just a high level of confidence and he's always played his cricket that way. It gets misinterpreted sometimes. In my case, that's what happened as well. He came across as overly confident.” He also clarified that his comment was not meant as a serious criticism of Kohli. Instead, it was his honest first impression of a young player who was extremely confident in his abilities. De Villiers pointed out that Kohli was only around 19 to 21 years old when he began making his mark in international cricket. At that age, his strong self-belief sometimes made him appear overly confident to others.

Speaking about the change, De Villiers said, “That faded away as he grew older and as he became more balanced as a person and as a cricket player.” He added that Kohli gradually moved away from the need to appear overly confident as he became more experienced. “I think he had a lot to prove when he was younger, and that faded away. And that also changed that sense of having to be overly confident with people, but that changed,” De Villiers said. Despite his initial impression, De Villiers and Kohli went on to develop one of the most popular friendships in the IPL. Their time together at RCB helped strengthen their bond, as they shared the dressing room and played important roles for the franchise. De Villiers has often shown his admiration for Kohli’s batting ability, dedication and competitive spirit. His latest comments also highlight how first impressions can change as people get to know each other better.