Former legendary South African batsman, Barry Richards said AB de Villiers calling it a day is a massive loss to the cricket world.
AB de Villiers was the cynosure of all eyes on the field. The South African talismanic batsman could make extraordinary skills look mundane with his exceptional talent.
De Villiers was a treat to watch on the cricket field. Meanwhile, the former Proteas skipper always played the game in the right spirit.
Taking into account his career, there is no doubt de Villiers will go down as a modern day great. De Villiers played 114 Test matches, 228 One-Dayers and 78 Twenty20 Internationals for the South African team.
He scored 8,765 runs in the red-ball form, 9,577 runs in the 50-over format and 1,672 runs in the shortest format.
Difficult to Fill de Villiers Shoes.
“AB wasn’t just a player who represented South Africa. He was a great ambassador of the game and someone who commanded respect from players across the world. AB calling it quits is a massive loss for cricket as his skills with the willow and sheer presence on the field gave so much joy to those who watched the game,” Barry Richards told Times of India.
de Villiers played the game in the right spirit.
Richards believes AB’s most significant contribution to the South African cricket is he has inspired young talent of the country.
Furthermore, former great added AB de Villiers has taken South African cricket to great heights. Consequently, Richards went on to add it would be difficult for South Africa to fill the shoes of AB de Villiers.
“AB’s biggest contribution to the game is that he is a role model for the many South African youngsters who wanted to take up the sport. AB has taken South African cricket to dizzying heights in world cricket. He has been a crucial member of the Proteas side for so many years now, and it will be difficult to fill his shoes,” Richards opined.
Barry who played only four Test matches said de Villiers would be remembered more for playing the game in the right spirit than the records he made. De Villiers always respected the game and played it in the right way.
“There are many who have gone on to become legends in the sport. AB, to me, will be right up there with the best not only for the fantastic numbers that he conjured but also for the way he played cricket. He respected the game and played it fair right through his career,” Richards added.
De Villiers decision came as a shock to the cricketing world. Everybody expected him to play till the next year World Cup, but he had other plans.
