'I just stick to my game plan', says Proteas star De Villiers

Cape Town, May 20 (ANI): Proteas and Delhi Daredevils batsman A B de Villiers might look like a possessed sage in full flight, but he pins his success on sticking to his game plan.

De Villiers, speaking after yet another brilliant knock against the Rajastan Royals on Sunday night, said that it was about giving himself a chance to settle at the crease before he attempted to dominate a bowling attack.

"I think I have been following the same game plan for the last two years now.

Whether I play tests, ODIs or Twenty20 cricket I give myself a chance to get my eye in and get used to the conditions and always try to get through the first 20 balls, and from there on, I try to express myself," said De Villiers at the press conference in Johannesburg.

According to Sports 24, De Villiers has scored 405 runs at an average of 67.50 and a strike rate of 135.45 per hundred balls in the IPL thus far, and trails only the currently indomitable Matthew Hayden (546 runs) in the runs table.

Together with Tillakaratne Dilshan, who is seventh on the list with 329 runs, De Villiers has been crucial to the Daredevil cause, especially with Gautum Gambhir and Virender Sehwag experiencing indifferent form.

Darren Berry, director of coaching with the Rajastan Royals, had only praise for De Villiers.

"Not only is he a great talent, but also he is a great thinking cricketer as well. In the heat of a Twenty20 battle that is exactly what you need. I think we were given an exhibition innings," said Berry. (ANI)