Virat Kohli: AB de Villiers is currently the best batsman in the world

Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli has admitted that South African AB de Villiers is currently the best batsman in the world after his 47-ball-79 run knock helped RCB beat Gujarat Lions to qualify for their first final since 2011. De Villiers had shepherded the chase after the Bangalore outfit had slumped to 68 for 6 in pursuit of 159; his unbroken 91-run stand with Iqbal Abdulla helping his team win.

"Unbelievable, can't believe I'm the winning captain. That should end a lot of debates as to who is the best going around. No question about it", Kohli said, speaking at the post match press conference.

"Come the big game, the big man stands up. I just bow down to him, that was probably one of the best knocks under pressure I've seen. So composed, taking Iqbal Abdulla along. He was really motivated to do it for the team. I'm really happy for him, I'm really happy for the whole team. Special credit to Iqbal as well, the way he got stuck with AB, that crucial partnership. That was wonderful composure to see from a young guy."

De Villiers has been in splendid form in the 2016 edition of the Indian Premier League, scoring 682 runs with a strike rate of 170 along with six fifties and one century. In fact, Kohli and De Villiers have been responsible for scoring more than half of RCB's runs, putting on more than 800 runs as a duo, the highest ever by a pair in a Twenty20 tournament in the world.

"We've been speaking of guys wanting to step up every game. The top order didn't do well, but AB the class batsman that he is, I could see the opposition was worried about him, they wanted him out pretty badly because they know what he can do."

Royal Challengers are yet to win an IPL title and with arguably two of the best batsmen in the world at present in their team, they will be confident that they can go all the way and secure the crown.