Kohli is traditional, de Villiers a freak: Cullinan

MIRPUR: South Africa's cricket seems to be losing its way in recent times, with the senior team struggling against India and England and the U-19 team too suffering a setback at the hands of Bangladesh here at the U-19 World Cup. Former SA batsman Daryll Cullinan talked to TOI about what ails SA cricket, his fears about a rapid decline and how Virat Kohli is more effective than AB de Villiers.
Excerpts...
Ques: Do you think the pitches were to blame for the poor show of the South African batsmen in India?
I don't blame the pitches in India for the dip in SA batting. They have been exposed. It is more a case of Indian bowlers exposing SA batsmen. The kind of dismissals were disappointing. But I don't think they carried the scars back home.
Ques: Then why did they struggle against England too?
I don't understand why didn't they bat in some domestic games before the England series. They hardly batted in India. Under such circumstances you can't say you were tired. You needed to bat and get into form.
Ques: AB de Villiers has been talking a lot about tight schedules and tired bodies, and now he is the Test captain as well...
AB took up the captaincy because he was afraid the South African public would turn against him. I don't buy AB's theory of being tired. If you are contracted, you are bound to play in all three formats. The skill comes in managing the recovery period. For example, Steyn gets rested for months and suddenly comes on to bowl. At 33, he tries to give it all and gets injured. He needs to keep playing to stay fit. Even he says he is not playing enough cricket.
Ques: With AB complaining of fatigue, who will be the one to watch out for in the World T20?
There's no mental pressure in T20 cricket. The pressure doesn't make you mentally tired. But there's too much of nonsense in batting these days. I see it in our domestic cricket as well. That's why I like Virat's batting. He is normal and traditional. He has the art of placing the ball and running. You don't have to be oversmart. Virat is more effective than those who play those paddle shots and switch hits. AB is a freak. He has control over them. But the rest (in the SA lineup) I don't think can last long.
Ques: Is this the main problem with South African batsmen?
Look at the players who are good only in T20s. That's baseball. Darren Sammy can't hold a bat in Tests. The financial reward is so much. There is a more desire in our 16, 18, 20-year-olds to play T20s. I fear South African cricket is slipping like the West Indies. The coaching too is not helping them. I rarely see a kid in South Africa drive a ball with a high front elbow. It's all about slam bang across the line. They are not taught to have a solid technique as base, except for India and Bangladesh in this tournament.
Ques: Is that why so many people into their 30s are making the national side?
You need to have a strong domestic setup. I don't know if our domestic cricket is up. I don't know if our domestic cricket is strong enough. Stephen Cook debuted at 34 and got a hundred. That's why you are seeing more veterans coming back to T20s.