Hyderabad: Former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers has hinted at a return to competitive cricket saying he wants to rediscover the joy of playing the sport. However, de Villiers ensured that he doesn't raise false hopes among his fans regarding his international comeback.
Villiers also clarified that he is not considering playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) or participating in South Africa's T20 franchise cricket tournament -- SA20.
AB de Villiers revealed that his recent trips to training sessions with his kids have tempted him to play cricket again, mentioning that children are putting pressure on him. De Villiers last played a competitive match in 2021 during the IPL while playing for RCB. His last international participation came in 2018. The superstar cricketer announced retirement from all forms of cricket in November 2021.
"I might still play cricket one day," the 40-year-old AB de Villiers told journalist Melinda Farrell on her show Running Between The Wickets.
"No confirmation whatsoever, but I am starting to feel it. My kids are putting me under a bit of pressure, and I feel like I could go to the nets with them. If I enjoy it, maybe I will walk out and play a little bit of casual cricket somewhere again—nothing professional like the IPL or South African tours," he said.
"Who knows? But we’ll see. I am going to try it again and see if this eye is still working. It’s a bit blurry, but this (the right one) is the dominant one, and it’s working fine. So, I’m doing it for my kids, and I am going to see if I can go out there and enjoy cricket again."
"Nothing serious, though. We’re not talking about RCB and the big stuff. I don’t want to feel that pressure again. That’s the thing. So, wherever I go, I will have a bit of fun."
AB de Villiers was one of the stalwarts of modern-day cricket and renowned as Mr. 360. With 8,765 runs at an average of 50.66 in Tests, 9,577 runs at 53.50 in ODIs, and a stellar T20I record, De Villiers was one of the finest all-format players of his era.
