Story of modern sporting phenomenon: AB de Villiers autobiography to hit stands in September

New Delhi: Cricket fans can soon know the making of AB de Villiers, the South Africa's Superman, who has already been regarded as the world's most explosive if not the most destructive batsman.

An autobiography on the player will hit bookstores next month, and the publishers of the book has billed it as "the story of a modern sporting phenomenon".

de Villiers, 32, is no short of any sporting phenomenon. He holds batting records for the fastest 50, 100 and 150 in One-Day Internationals, the fastest Test century by a South African and the fastest T20I 50 by a South African.

The book, "AB: The Autobiography", will cover key events and influences that have shaped his life and career, from his childhood and schooling at Afrikaanse Hoer Seunskool (Affies) through to his present successes, experiences and controversies as captain of the ODI team.

It will offer access to the man behind the bat and beneath the helmet, exploring career-defining moments, on-and-off the field events and his relationship with various mentors, the publisher said.

“This is AB’s story, in his own words. The story of the youngest of three talented, sports-mad brothers growing up in Warmbaths, of a boy who excelled at tennis, rugby and cricket, of a youngster who made his international debut at the age of twenty and was then selected in every single test played by South Africa for the next eleven seasons, of a batsman who has started to redefine the art, being ranked among the world’s very best in test, ODI and T20,” it said.

The autobiography will also explore de Villiers’ interests in music and business and how he pursues these alongside his international cricket career.

The hardback edition of “AB: The Autobiography” will be released in English and Afrikaans locally on September 8, and simultaneously in English by Pan Macmillan in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and India.

(With PTI inputs)