5 Batsmen who ruled No.1 Test ranking for many years

AB de Villiers (2013-2015)

Perhaps, AB de Villiers was one of the most versatile and adaptive batsmen of the modern era. He was one of those players who could even play out 300 balls in Test cricket or even hit a 20-ball fifty in the shorter formats.

There was no situation, no shot, no form of cricket, de Villiers couldn’t play. Moreover, he mastered it all and kept producing jaw-dropping moments throughout his career. De Villiers was a slightly underrated Test cricketer. All the 360-degree shots he played in white-ball cricket were simply magnificent. However, his Test game, technique and temperament were spot on as well.

In 2013, the South African star ascended to the top after some consistent performances. In fact, a few months after that, de Villiers also became the No. 1 ODI batsman. Hence, the former Proteas skipper ruled as captain for the No. 1 position for more than two years.