IPL 2022: "He Sent Me A Voice Note," Virat Kohli Reveals How AB De Villiers Informed Him That He Will No Longer Play Cricket
Published - 29 Mar 2022, 02:52 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:06 AM
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be without AB de Villiers in IPL 2022. It’s reasonable to assume that the team, particularly Virat Kohli, misses the explosive batsman who was a key contributor for Bangalore from 2011 to 2015.
Virat Kohli, the former RCB captain, relived the moment he learned about De Villiers’ decision to retire.
When De Villiers informed him that he would no longer be playing, he was upset. Kohli expressed his emotions after hearing the news on the franchise’s official website.
“It’s a bizarre situation.” I remember when he eventually decided to call it a day. He left a voice message for me. I recall getting a voice message when we were returning from the World Cup in Dubai. And I listened to it once I opened it.”
“I was with Anushka (Sharma), and when I looked at her like this, my face sank. ‘What?’ she exclaimed. I showed her the mail, the WhatsApp conversation, and the voice message from AB de Villiers. And her first words were, “Don’t tell me.” He stated, “She knew.”
De Villiers’ approach during the IPL 2021 made him feel as if it was the final season: Virat Kohli
He went on to say that De Villiers’ approach during the IPL 2021 made him feel like it was the final time he’d see his closest friend play for RCB.
“During the last IPL, I had the impression or was guessing.” Because he kept telling me – our rooms were next to each other, and we’d walk in the same direction and then scatter – that every time I walked to my room, he’d see me outside and say, ‘I want to see you for coffee one of these days.”
And I continued becoming uncomfortable, saying, “I’m not sitting with you, I think there’s something coming,” to which he said, “No guy, there’s nothing.” I just want to sit and talk with you, it’s been a while, and he never says anything like that; we talk all the time. “I sensed something was going to happen,” Kohli continued.
De Villiers played 184 games in the tournament, scoring 5162 runs with a strike rate of 151.69% and an average of 39.71. He ended his amazing career in November 2021, just before the commencement of this year’s competition.
