Gavaskar picks de Villiers as the batsman he would love to emulate in T20s

Unlike many from his generation former India captain Sunil Gavaskar is a huge fan of T20 cricket and picks AB de Villiers as the player he would love to emulate in the shortest format. The reason Gavaskar loves the format is because it is action-packed and you have a result in three hours.

 "I know a lot of people who played around my time, they're not happy with the T20 format, but I actually love it. I love it for the simple reason that you know it's a 3-hour game, and you get a result, and you get to see so much action. When somebody plays the switch hit and the reverse sweep, I’m out of my chair because I think those are fabulous and incredible shots, and it takes a lot of skill to be able to hit them for sixes," Gavaskar said on The Analyst Inside podcast.

Considered one of the most destructive players in the T20 format, De Villiers has scored a bucketload of runs for South Africa and franchise cricket, notably in the India Premier League (IPL) for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

When asked which batsman from the modern era he would have liked to like, Gavaskar was quick in his response.

"AB de Villiers... bat like him, you know 360 degrees, play everything. I mean, just make it look as if you're having a net. He makes it look so simple. He hits a fair distance, and he is very elegant as well. When he hits some of those shots, I love how his bat's follow-through goes right over the shoulder. It's not one of those punches; it’s like a proper shot. I love watching him bat" the former India captain explained.