3 Sports AB de Villiers Played Before Taking Up Cricket (By His Own Admission)

Considered one of the greatest batters of his generation, AB de Villiers delved into many sports before taking up cricket seriously. Here are three such sports, which he revealed in an exclusive conversation with Cricket.com. 

Golf

De Villiers revealed that he was three years old when he got his first golf club. He pursued golf for four years, but never played any age-group tournaments.

Tennis

While golf was the first sport he played as a kid, he credits tennis for shaping him as a sportsman. He played his first tennis tournament - an under-nine tournament -  at the age of six.

"There's no doubt about it. It was the first competitive sport I played. First sport that I got coaching in serious coaching, like I'm talking four or five times a week at least. Weekends we would go, even sometimes play practice matches at the age of six. So we took it up seriously," de Villiers said in an exclusive chat with Cricket.com.

Rugby

De Villiers never pursued tennis after he moved into high school at the age of 14. He then took rugby seriously. He admits it was his favourite team sport. He studied at Affies - a school where rugby and cricket were two popular sports. The school has produced many international rugby and cricket players for the Springboks and the Proteas, respectively.

He played rugby until grade 10 and then indulged a bit in hockey as well. But a serious injury to his right elbow saw him trade rugby for cricket, which is what he pursued thereafter.