AB de Villiers Reveals Why Virat Kohli Didn’t Speak To Him For Months And How They Rebuilt Their Friendship

AB de Villiers revealed that Virat Kohli didn’t speak to him for months after he accidentally leaked news of Anushka Sharma’s pregnancy. Their bond was restored recently after RCB's IPL 2025 win.

Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has revealed that his close friendship with Indian cricket star Virat Kohli went through a rough patch, triggered by an unintentional slip-up during a livestream.

The Pregnancy Leak That Sparked Silence

In a recent interview with Cricket.com, de Villiers hinted that Kohli didn’t speak to him for months, possibly because of a personal incident. The former Proteas batter had confirmed during a livestream last year that Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma were expecting their second child news that hadn’t been publicly shared at the time.

This revelation came after Kohli withdrew from the Test series against England for personal reasons. A few days later, de Villiers clarified in another video that he had made a mistake and the information was incorrect at the time of sharing.

“I did have a bit of a footfall not too long ago when they were expecting their second child,” de Villiers admitted. “So, I was very relieved when he started talking to me again.”

Kohli and de Villiers Reunite After RCB’s Title Win

Despite the period of silence, the bond between the two cricketing greats seems to have been restored. Earlier this month, Kohli and de Villiers shared an emotional hug after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their maiden IPL title by defeating Punjab Kings in the final.

The duo, who formed one of the most celebrated batting partnerships in IPL history, were seen celebrating together on the field, rekindling memories of their golden years at the franchise.

Kohli’s Test Retirement and a Heartfelt Conversation

De Villiers also spoke about Kohli’s recent decision to retire from Test cricket, saying that the Indian batter had reached out to him for guidance during a tough phase in his career.

“He's been in touch with me over the last six months,” said de Villiers. “We all know he went through a bit of a patch and sort of wanted to bounce a few ideas off me how I got through certain moments of my life.”

He continued, “I knew what kind of phase he was going through, considering his age and how many games he’s played, and the dynamics of being in the team all the time the politics thereof as well. So, I shared with him from the heart what I felt and what I thought watching him on the screen.”

Despite the past misunderstanding, de Villiers emphasized that he stands by Kohli and supports the choices he makes regarding his cricketing future. “I’m happy he is still around playing cricket and that the decision (to retire from Tests) comes from the heart. I support him 100 percent with that,” de Villiers concluded.