Goodbye, Mr 360: AB de Villiers announces retirement from international cricket.
South Africa great AB de Villiers, on Wednesday, took to social media to announce retirement from all forms of international cricket.
De Villiers, 34, brought the curtains down on a glittering 14-year career in which he smashed 47 centuries across formats after making his debut as a 20-year-old in 2004. He quickly rose to become one of the greatest modern day batsman, displaying a unique ability to score shots all around the wicket. He was named the captain of the Proteas’ limited-overs sides after Graeme Smith stepped down after the 2011 World Cup.
De Villiers took a lengthy break from international cricket in 2016 but continued to play franchise cricket around the world. He remains one of the popular stars in the Indian Premier League, where he plays for Royal Challengers Bangalore. His last Test match was against Australia at Johannesburg in March, which South Africa won to win the series 3-1.
“I have decided to retire from all international cricket with immediate effect,” he said on Wednesday. After 114 Test matches, 228 ODIs and 78 T20 Internationals, it is time for others to take over. I have had my turn, and to be honest, I am tired.”
“This is a tough decision, I have thought long and hard about it and I’d like to retire while still playing decent cricket. After the fantastic series wins against India and Australia, now feels like the right time to step aside.
“It would not be right for me to pick and choose where, when and in what format I play for the Proteas. For me, in the green and gold, it must be everything or nothing. I will always be grateful to the coaches and staff of Cricket South Africa for their support through all these years. The most important thank you goes out to all of my team mates throughout my career, I wouldn’t be half the player that I am without the support throughout the years.
“It’s not about earning more somewhere else, it’s about running out of gas and feeling that it is the right time to move on. Everything comes to an end. To the cricket fans around South Africa and the World, thank you for your kindness and generosity, and today, for your understanding. I have no plans to play overseas, in fact, I hope I can continue to be available for the Titans in domestic cricket. I will remain the biggest supporter of Faf du Plessis and the Proteas.”
