‘No guts, no fight’: AB de Villiers pins the blame on Pakistan players after horror show in England

Pakistan cricket team (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Former South African batter AB de Villiers has sharply criticised Pakistan‘s players for their performances during the ongoing Test series in England, saying the side lacks guts, fight and character. His comments came after Pakistan fell to a 2-0 series deficit, with England winning both Tests convincingly.

Pakistan were dismissed for 171 and 135 in the first Test at Headingley, losing by an innings and 103 runs. They then lost the second Test at Lord’s by 194 runs, handing England an unassailable lead in the series.

“I don’t often currently see a lot of Pakistan players individually being prepared to put in those extra hard yards. Especially with the batting unit. Not enough, what’s the word, guts. Fight. It doesn’t always have to be pretty. Lots of soft wickets, and that’s what it comes down to. It’s a decision that you make,” de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.

What did de Villiers say about character in Test cricket?

De Villiers drew on his own playing philosophy to explain what he believes Pakistan are missing. He described Test cricket as a format that demands personal resolve and a willingness to grind through difficult conditions, regardless of how it looks from the outside.

“It’s sometimes ugly and terribly difficult to watch. If I played for my ego, I probably would have been a different player. It was always about how much character I could show out here today. It always felt like a threat to my character from the opposition. That’s the way I decided to play the situation,” de Villiers said.

“I always felt that Test cricket was a test of your character. That’s maybe what Pakistan is lacking at the moment. A bit of character, a bit of fight. An individual leadership group of four or five players who decide together, you know what, let’s be the leaders here and show the guys. Let’s be the example. Show the youngsters what it takes to win Test matches, ODIs, or T20S. Maybe that is the area they’re lacking in,” he added.

Did de Villiers also point to mismanagement at the top?

Beyond the players themselves, de Villiers acknowledged that problems within Pakistan cricket extend beyond the dressing room. He noted that frequent changes in leadership and management have made it harder for the team to find stability. Babar Azam missed the first Test at Headingley with a hand injury but returned for the second Test at Lord’s. De Villiers referenced Babar’s return and hoped the captain would be given a sustained run in the side.

“Also, a bit of mismanagement from the top. Lots of chopping and changing. Lots of changes in leadership. Babar is back now. So hopefully he gets an extended run, stays fit, and starts scoring runs again like we all know he can. And for his fellow teammates to start following that lead. So that’s my long and short on Pakistan cricket. Hopefully they’ll make their way back to the form and to the team that we know they can be in all formats of the game,” he concluded.