Former South African batsman AB de Villiers, often hailed as one of cricket’s finest, recently shared the underlying reason behind his abrupt retirement. Making his international debut in 2004, de Villiers went on to amass 20,014 runs in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs, and 78 T20Is. Renowned for his extraordinary performances with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, de Villiers bid farewell to international cricket in 2018 and concluded his IPL career in 2021.
In an interview with Wisden Cricket, De Villiers disclosed that an accidental kick from his young son caused a significant decline in his vision, leading to his decision to retire. The impact on his right eye prompted surgery, leaving the doctor astounded at how he continued playing under such conditions. Gratefully, his left eye held up well during the final two years of his career.
“My kid accidentally kicked my eye with his heel. I began to lose vision in my right eye. After the surgery, the doctor wondered, ‘How on earth did you play cricket like this?’ Thankfully, my left eye held up well in the final two years of my career,” revealed AB de Villiers.
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The former RCB star also delved into the profound impact of South Africa’s defeat against New Zealand in the semi-final of the 2015 ODI World Cup. Additionally, he opened up about the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, acknowledging its undeniable impact.
Playing Cricket with an Eye Injury | 360 Live Q&A https://t.co/qcR05j038d
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) December 8, 2023
“Covid had an impact, no doubt. The 2015 World Cup was a significant blow from an international standpoint. It took me some time to recover from that, and when I returned to the team, I didn’t sense the supportive culture I truly needed at that moment,” shared AB de Villiers.
Reflecting on his thought process during that period, he expressed contemplation about the end of his cricketing journey. In 2018, he decided to take a break, later attempting Test cricket once more with the specific goal of defeating India and Australia before contemplating retirement.
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“I thought a lot, like, ‘Is this the end for me?’ I didn’t want to play IPL or anything. In 2018, I took a break. Then, I tried Test cricket one more time to beat India and Australia, and then I’d stop. No spotlight just wanted to say, ‘Had a great time, thank you very much,'” concluded AB de Villiers.
