AB de Villiers hints at comeback, wants to play casual cricket

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 22: AB de Villiers wants to play “real cricket” again. Not in the high-pressure environment of IPL but somewhere “casual” to have a bit of fun and please his children.
De Villiers retired from all of forms of cricket in November 2021 to spend more time with his family. The 40-year-old former South Africa 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.
“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.
De Villiers hinted at playing proper cricket outside the lens of professional leagues like the IPL.
“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 eye sight, 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’ .
De Villiers represented South Africa in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs and 78 T20s. The power-hitter holds the record for the fastest 50 (16 balls), 100 (31 balls) and 150 (64balls) in the ODI format. (PTI)