AB de Villiers has opened up about his first impression of Virat Kohli, admitting that the Indian batting great came across as “arrogant and cocky” when they first met. The former South Africa captain, however, explained that what appeared to be arrogance was largely Kohli’s immense self-confidence as a young cricketer.

The two former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammates share a close friendship that developed over years of playing together in the Indian Premier League (IPL). While de Villiers has repeatedly praised Kohli’s ability and personality, he acknowledged that his initial perception of the India star was different.

WATCH: AB de Villiers Admits He Found Kohli ‘Cocky And Arrogant’

Speaking on a podcast with Prakhar Gupta, de Villiers was asked whether he genuinely considered Kohli arrogant and cocky when they first met. The South African great agreed, adding that Kohli himself would probably share that assessment of his younger self.

“Yeah, and I think he'll agree with that,” de Villiers said.

Prakhar : “When you first met Virat Kohli, you thought he was cocky and arrogant. Is that true?” AB de Villiers: “Yes. I think he’ll agree with that.” “He came across as overly confident. He had a lot to prove when he was younger.” “You need that kind of confidence and self-belief to achieve great success.”

— The Prakhar Gupta Xperience (@pgxpodcast) October 16, 2026

He went on to explain that Kohli’s confidence was the main reason behind that first impression. According to de Villiers, the young batter’s belief in his own ability could sometimes be mistaken for arrogance.

“Just a high level of confidence and he's always played his cricket that way. It gets misinterpreted sometimes. In my case, that's what happened as well. He came across as overly confident,” he said.

De Villiers also pointed out that Kohli was still in his late teens and early twenties during those early years. He described the impression as his initial reaction rather than a lasting judgement of the Indian star.

What Changed Virat Kohli Over The Years?

De Villiers suggested that Kohli’s personality evolved as he matured, both as a person and as an international cricketer. The South African believes that the need to prove himself was a major factor behind Kohli’s intense confidence during his early career.

“I mean, that was my first impression. It's always tongue-in-cheek when I say that, but I think he'll agree with that. He was a very confident youngster at the age of 19, 20, 21. Early days. That's also what's necessary to achieve great success. You really need to believe in your own ability and you just learn to manage that over the years,” he added.

The former RCB star further explained that Kohli gradually became more balanced as his career progressed. As the Indian batter established himself among the leading players in world cricket, the need to project such an intensely confident image appeared to diminish.

“That faded away as he grew older and as he became more balanced as a person and as a cricket player. I think he had a lot to prove when he was younger, and that faded away. And that also changed that sense of having to be overly confident with people, but that changed,” de Villiers said.

The comments offer a glimpse into how Kohli’s public image and personality have evolved over the years. De Villiers’ account also highlights the distinction between the confidence required to succeed at the highest level and how that confidence can be perceived by others.\