AB de Villiers hints at IPL comeback for RCB after WCL title
Published - 03 Aug 2025, 01:49 PM | Updated - 03 Aug 2025, 01:53 PM
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The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans’ hopes of seeing AB de Villiers in the RCB colors one last time have yet again been shattered despite his recent performances in the World Championship of Legends 2025 (WCL 2025), where he looked sharp, agile, and still full of class.
AB de Villiers led the South Africa Champions to the WCL 2025 title from the front. And when Shubhankar Mishra asked the Proteas great whether he could come out of retirement and play one more season of the IPL for RCB, he put the speculation to rest.
AB de Villiers rules out IPL comeback
In his calm and humble manner, the former South Africa captain admitted that, even though he’s still fit and active, the IPL is a different beast altogether. He noted that the Indian T20 league stretches over nearly three months, and for him, it is a huge ask.
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The legend further explained that playing the tournament again wouldn’t be just about fitness, but it would also be about full-on commitment, preparation, staying mentally and physically locked in for months, and delivering at the highest level under pressure.
AB de Villiers: “I'll be too nervous, man. I think I'd rather just support. I'm a very good supporter. Yeah, the IPL is just a very long tournament. It's almost a three-month tournament. It is a really big commitment for someone at the age of 41. You can't compare me to Imran Tahir. I work a lot harder. I had a lot more hard work. I think throughout the years.”
AB de Villiers hails Imran Tahir, says everybody has a different journey
And many compare AB de Villiers to other senior cricketers like his former teammate, 46-year-old Imran Tahir, who is still playing T20 leagues around the world, but he made it clear that everyone’s journey is different.
He explained, “I mean, that's crazy. I'll take my hat to them. That's absolutely amazing. And I mean, you've got to look up to that. But we're all different, and I think that is the beautiful part of the sport—some guys feel they've had enough after the age of 30. Some are only at 40. It depends.”
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AB de Villiers is happy to be just a cricket supporter
The Proteas great has noted that he worked extremely hard throughout his career and now feels it's time to enjoy cricket as a supporter, not a player.
De Villiers signed off by saying, “So, I'm just, first of al,l thankful that I could actually have a very lengthy career from the age of 20 right through to whenever I retired. I don't even know how long it was. It felt quite long. But I gave it my best shot, and I'm happy.”
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Notably, De Villiers was a run machine in the IPL, especially for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Out of his total 5162 runs in the IPL, 4178 came while playing for RCB in 141 matches. He smashed 3 centuries and 40 fifties during his IPL career.
Two of those stunning hundreds came while wearing the RCB jersey. He was one of the most loved and dangerous batters in the IPL's history.
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