AB De Villiers - The real life hero

February 17 is AB De Villiers's birthday.

You might know him as a cricketer from South Africa and playing for Royal Challenger Bangalore in IPL.

Now here's some facts about him:-

• He was shortlisted for South Africa's junior national hockey squad.

  Yes, De Villiers once had a flair for hockey, and made it to the U-16 side of the school.
  During his period as a team member his team did really well. He was shortlisted for South Africa's junior national hockey team.

• He was selected for Blue Balls U-18, a niche rugby team in South Africa
  When De Villiers stopped playing hockey, he started playing rugby, the most followed sport at his school.
  He was soon part of the school's rugby team, the 1st XV of the Affies.
  He performed extraordinarily well and was selected for the Blue Balls U-18 side, which had some big names that would later represent South African rugby.
• He held six South african school swimming records in school.
• He held the record for fastest 100m dash in South Africa's junior athletics.
• He was selected for South Africa's junior Davis Cup tennis team.
  De Villiers was ranked in the top two in his age division for tennis in South Africa.
• He was South Arica's national U-19 Badminton champion.
• Has a golf handicap of scratch.
  Scratch means a player whose average score for a round of golf is par or better.
• He is a recipient of the prestigious national medal from the Late Nelson Mandela for a science project.
• And he is an exceptionally talented cricketer.
  • He holds the record for fastest one day century. He hit century in 31 balls.
  • De Villiers became the second youngest and second fastest South African to reach 1000 test runs after Graeme Pollock
  • In his test career so far, De Villiers has batted, bowled and kept wicket as well.
  • Sharp fielder:

    De Villiers has a reputation as an outstanding fielder, typified by a diving run-out of Simon Katich of Australia in 2006, when he dived to stop the ball, and while still lying on his stomach facing away from the stumps, he tossed the ball backwards over his shoulder and effected a direct hit.