AB de Villiers will not come out of retirement, says Cricket South Africa

Veteran batsman AB de Villiers will not be coming out of retirement to play for South ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, the country’s cricket board said on Tuesday. In May 2018, de Villiers had announced his retirement from international cricket. Since then, there has been a lot of speculation about the former Proteas skipper making a comeback to the national set-up and being a part of this year’s T20 World Cup. However, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has put an end to all the speculations.

“Discussions with AB de Villiers have concluded with the batsman deciding once and for all, that his retirement will remain final,” Cricket South Africa said in its statement. The latest development will come as a big blow to his fans, with many calling for him to come out of retirement after seeing his recent exploit in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He will undoubtedly be a big miss in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

The attacking batsman might be out of the international set-up, but fans still get a chance to watch him play in IPL. The South African has been impressive for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in this season’s IPL before the tournament was suspended due to the coronavirus situation. His scintillating form has led to many fans calling for him to come out of retirement.

In fact, the batsman also hinted that he would discuss with South Africa coach Mark Boucher about a possible return. “If I can slot in, it will be fantastic,” de Villiers had said. “I am absolutely interested, with regards to my form, my fitness, we have to get the best 15 together, we will plan accordingly. I am speaking with Boucher towards the end of IPL.”

That interview might have given many fans hope of seeing de Villiers donning his national team jersey once again. However, the latest development has put an end to all those speculations.

With 114 Tests, 228 ODIs and 78 T20Is to his name, de Villiers was a mainstay in the South African team. He has been one of the few batsmen to have excelled in all formats of the game. His ability to perform consistently under pressure made him a fan favourite. He might be remembered for those massive sixes, but the top-order batsman was more than just hitting the maximum.

De Villiers can absorb the pressure and at the same time can unleash his wrath on the opposition bowlers to help his team get out of tricky situations. The South African’s job does not end with those big hits, but he has the ability to stay longer in the crease and help his team cross the finish line. With a shadow of a doubt, he will be a big miss for South Africa and international cricket in general!