22 January,2025 04:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
AB de Villiers (Pic: File Pic)
AB de Villiers wants to play real cricket again. The South African legend is not looking to feature in the high-pressure environment of the Indian Premier League (IPL), but somewhere casual where he can have a bit of fun and please his children.
AB De Villiers drew curtains on all forms of cricket in November 2021 to spend more time with his family. The former South African captain is now involved with multiple projects in charity and broadcasting.
He is also the brand ambassador of the ongoing SA20. But in a chat with Melinda Farrell on her Youtube channel, de Villiers let it slip that he wishes to play the game again.
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"There comes time to forge your own identity and for SA20 that moment will come"
"I might still play cricket one day. No confirmation whatsoever. My kids are putting me under a bit of pressure and I feel like I could go to the nets with them," de Villiers said referring his three children -- two sons Abraham and John, and daughter Yente.
"My boy could feel me bowling machine balls...maybe I will walk out and play a bit of casual cricket somewhere," he added.
AB de Villiers hinted at playing proper cricket but not featuring in professional leagues like IPL or SA20.
"I am talking on a more serious note, actually, of playing some real cricket not professional IPL or SA20 stuff but who knows? I have had my fair share (of high pressure cricket), that's done," he said.
A slight challenge to that ambition is his eyesight, especially the "bit blurry" left one.
" ...this right one is the dominant one, it is working fine. I am doing it for my kids and see if I can go out there and enjoy cricket again. Even if it is very casual and see where we draw the line.
"We are not talking RCB (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) and some stuff. I don't want to feel that pressure again. Wherever I go I would want to have bit of fun," added the batting great, whose wide range of strokes, some of them quite unconventional, earned him the moniker 'Mr 360'.
AB de Villiers represented the Rainbow Nation in 114 Test matches, 228 ODIs and 78 T20Is. He also holds the record of the fastest 50, 100 and 150 in ODI cricket.
(With PTI Inputs)
