Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers says Virat Kohli has entered a liberated phase of his international career — one defined by gratitude and freedom rather than the fierce intensity that long characterised his batting. Speaking in a select interaction facilitated by FanCode, the official broadcaster of the World Championship of Legends, de Villiers described his long-time friend as a batter who has consciously let go of the need to be 'overly intense' about milestones.

Kohli's Numbers Tell the Story

The numbers back up de Villiers' assessment. In eight ODI innings in 2026, Kohli has accumulated 552 runs at an average of 78.85 and a strike-rate of 118.20, making him the third-highest run-scorer in ODIs this year — behind India captain Shubman Gill and England's Joe Root. Most recently, at Thiruvananthapuram during India's ODI series opener against West Indies, Kohli became only the second batter after Sachin Tendulkar to reach 15,000 ODI runs, doing so via a composed, unbeaten 139 — his 55th ODI century.

What De Villiers Said

'I think towards the back end of a person's career, you realise how grateful you must be and how lucky you have been to have had such a long career after where you come from,' de Villiers said. He added: 'I've spoken to Virat and he will recall me speaking to him at the age of 28 to 32 about being too overly intense, to sort of just sit back a bit, work hard on your game and have an impact in other people's lives. That is definitely shining through now more than ever and very happy for him.'

De Villiers identified this as Kohli's third career peak — comparing the current run of form to the dominant phases of 2012–2014 and 2016–2019. 'It's an incredible run of form. We've seen this kind of form in 2012 to 2014 and then again 2016 to 2019 and now this is like a third peak for him in really taking his game to the next level,' he said.

The Tactical Evolution: Aggression From Ball One

This mental shift has translated into a concrete tactical change. According to data from CricViz, Kohli has been striking at an unprecedented 119 across his first 20 deliveries in ODIs in 2026 — far exceeding his previous best of 89, recorded in both 2016 and 2018. His early attacking shot rate stands at 58.7% and his boundary percentage during those first 20 balls is 17.9%. His six-hitting has also accelerated sharply: Kohli is now clearing the ropes every 27.4 balls in 2026, a dramatic improvement on his 2025 rate of 52.1 balls per six and his 2014 figure of 52.9.

'He's not so intense and not overthinking the game. He's going a lot on gut feel, it seems. Generally, the gut feel is right as your instinct takes over... When Virat plays with his instinct, he's pretty much unstoppable,' de Villiers said.

De Villiers' Message to Indian Selectors on Kohli and Rohit

De Villiers closed with a pointed message to the Indian selection committee, urging them not to drop either Kohli or Rohit Sharma ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. 'I wouldn't go without Rohit. I think he comes with incredible experience, him and Virat, and the combination, and belief the rest of the squad gets because of the two of them being there is just immeasurable,' he said, adding that form was a secondary consideration given the leadership and belief both veterans bring to the dressing room. De Villiers argued that experienced players can be strategically deployed in the field — at mid-off, in the slips, or at third man — making fitness concerns manageable.

With the 2027 World Cup on the horizon, de Villiers' assessment frames Kohli's current form not as a late-career twilight but as a third, potentially defining, peak — one that could shape India's pursuit of their third men's ODI World Cup title.