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AB de Villiers has had an exceptional campaign at the IPL across many seasons, expeciellay with Virat Kohli as his partner.

But it's important to remember that he actually started off his IPL journey with the Delhi Daredevils which are now the Delhi Capitals, in the year 2008.

This time is often ignored as he made his name in the IPL later, only at RCB. His time at Delhi was rocky, is what seems to be out, which explains the performance deficit for the batter at his pilot club. 

AB de Villiers on 'poisonous characters' 

"I would hate to give you names. Burning people, you know. But the Delhi Daredevils were in shambles. I mean, it was. There were lots of poisonous characters in that side", he says. "Lots of legends. So it's such a bittersweet moment for me because I speak... I remember it fondly. And some of the highlights of my life and career was there, spending time with Glenn McGrath and Daniel Vettori."

During a recent conversation with Cricket.com, De Villiers revealed that there were many 'poisonous characters' at DD back then, without calling any specific names.

He also mentioned that these menaces ruined his golden oppurtunity of playing with legends like Glenn McGrath and Daniel Vettori. 

"That's where we got close. But these guys were my heroes and I was so scared of them growing up," he adds "Like McGrath. I mean, I played against him in 2006 in a Test match and I could hardly breathe, literally, and never spoke a word to him. And then in the next minute, I'm sitting here in 2008 and he sits next to me and goes, I like the way you play. I'm like, what's going on there?"