One of the most beautiful chapters in the history of cricket came to an end on Wednesday (May 23). AB de Villiers, one of the greatest batsmen of all time, shockingly brought down curtains on his illustrious career.
The 34-year old said he was tired and wanted to step out while still at the top. He confirmed in the video that he had played his last game for South Africa.
“After 114 test matches, 228 one day internationals and 78 T20 internationals it is time for others to take over. I’ve had my turn and to be honest I’m tired,” he said.
“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 (test) 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,” he added.
In his glorious career that spanned for 14 years, de Villiers scored a staggering 20,014 international runs (8765 in Tests, 9577 in ODIs and 1672 in T20Is). He also finished his career with a batting average over 50 in both Tests, and ODIs.
The right-hander also holds the record for the fastest 50, fastest 100 and fastest 150 in ODIs, all coming against the Windies. He smashed a 31-ball 100 in Johannesburg in 2015 and hit a 66-ball 162 in the 2015 World Cup encounter in Sydney.
Well, it is now time to bid adieu to one of the finest batsmen of all time with a heavy heart. So with de Villiers’ unparalleled legacy coming to an end, here are some famous quotes delivered for him by some eminent personalities.
Rahul Dravid:
Glenn Maxwell:
Virat Kohli:
Adam Gilchrist:
Aakash Chopra:
Bob Willis:
Harsha Bhogle:
Irfan Pathan:
Chris Gayle:
VVS Laxman:
Michael Vaughan:
Dale Steyn: