It won’t be unjust to say that some of the biggest
names in the sport may decide to hang up their boots when the ODI World Cup
2023 is over. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have come up in “retirement
debates” among fans and pundits when it comes to the Indian team. In fact,
if India wins this World Cup, Kohli’s former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
teammate AB de Villiers thinks it wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to bid
farewell.
De Villiers discussed retirement in a video posted to
his YouTube page, saying it’s difficult to predict if the legendary hitter will
participate in the 2027 ODI World Cup or not.
“I know he loves travelling to South Africa (for
the 2027 World Cup), but it’s very difficult to say. It is a long time away.
Let’s focus on this one first, I think that’s what Virat Kohli would tell you.
I think if they win this World Cup, it might not be a bad time to say, ‘Thank
you very much. I am maybe just going to play Test cricket for the next few
years and a little bit of IPL, enjoy the last bit of my career, have enough
family time, and say goodbye to everyone’,” De Villiers said.
During the chat, De Villiers also explained the reason
behind his decision to not continue playing for RCB in the Indian Premier
League.
“There are a few reasons for that. I only played
two or three months in a year. 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,” he
explained.