AB de Villiers called time on his IPL career in 2021.
Legendary South African cricketer AB de Villiers once again made it clear that he is not coming back as a player in the Indian Premier League (IPL). De Villiers had been a pivotal figure for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL since 2011.
During his time with RCB, Mr. 360-degree showcased his incredible prowess, amassing a remarkable 4522 runs in 144 innings at a scintillating strike rate of 158.33.
However, he called time on his IPL career in 2021, but there were hopes of changing his mind, and now those hopes are dead as well.
AB de Villiers said on his YouTube channel: “I have thought about it before, but it's not going to happen. I have made my call, and as I have done throughout my career, I have always tried to be loyal to fans and teams. Secondly, when I make decisions, I was told from a very young age to be clear with what you decide and to stick to it.”
The legendary batter continued, “A lot of thinking went into it. The reason for that is in the last couple of seasons, I started finding myself losing a bit of energy on the field. There are a few reasons for that. I only played two or three months in a year.”
Notably, in a fitting tribute to his exceptional career and invaluable contributions, RCB honored AB de Villiers by inducting him into their Hall of Fame and retiring his jersey number in March 2023.
De Villiers signed off by saying, “So, finding myself in the middle thinking I am not as good as I used to be, was a terrible thing. If I am not here to be the best in the world to change this game, it's time for me to move on.”