AB de Villiers has come out squashing the ‘retirement’ rumours, revealing the current break from Test cricket is just a one-year sabbatical to spend more time with his family. In a recent interview, he clarified the fact that Test retirement is not on the cards for him in near future while also indicating that his foremost priority is limited-overs cricket in order to play the 2019 World Cup and fulfill his dream of lifting the title.
The former Test skipper’s future looked shaky a couple of months ago, when he met the South African management to discuss his place in the Test side. The star cricketer was out of action since June 2016, due to an elbow injury and the setback resulted in him missing out three-Test series on the trot.
After completing his recovery, it was expected that De Villiers would be immediately back in the whites for the away series against New Zealand, which is currently underway. However, he made himself unavailable and rumours about him quitting the Test format began to gather steam. Many felt that the workload and the recent time on the sidelines could influence his decision to completely retire from the longest format.
“The decision not to play Test cricket this year is purely to spend a bit more time at home. I have played a lot of cricket over the past 12 years. Fully committed in all the formats. I have reached a point; actually in 2015 after the World Cup where I really felt flat and exhausted. I just to break away from one of the formats. So, finally reached the decision of resting a little but in Test cricket. I initially wanted to retire out of the format. But decided to probably keep the option open as I might feel to contribute later.”
De Villiers also reveals he wanted to take the decision consciously and ensure it doesn’t end up being a reckless choice. The 32-year-old had the future tours in mind when deciding to take a year’s sabbatical from the Test cricket.
“In 2018, there are some big tours against India and Australia and the rest of the world. I felt it was important to keep opportunity available and not to make a rash decision. And, maybe I will make a comeback in Test cricket. But, the decision is purely based on family time. I am just tired and the focus has just moved toward the world cup. It is something I haven’t achieved in my career.”