One of contemporary cricket’s greatest batters, South African legend AB de Villiers on Friday announced his retirement from all forms of the game, which he dominated for 17 years with his 360-degree batting.
The 37-year-old versatile cricketer’s decision has effectively ended his association with his IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore.
He announced on Twitter, ending an illustrious career, which saw him play in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs, and 78 T20Is for the Proteas.
In a statement released, De Villiers said: “It has been an incredible journey, but I have decided to retire from all cricket.
“Ever since the backyard matches with my older brothers, I have played the game with pure enjoyment and unbridled enthusiasm. Now, at the age of 37, that flame no longer burns so brightly.
It has been an incredible journey, but I have decided to retire from all cricket.
Ever since the back yard matches with my older brothers, I have played the game with pure enjoyment and unbridled enthusiasm. Now, at the age of 37, that flame no longer burns so brightly. pic.twitter.com/W1Z41wFeli
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) November 19, 2021
“Last, I am aware that nothing would have been possible without the sacrifices made by my family – my parents, my brothers, my wife Danielle, and my children. I look forward to the next chapter of our lives when I can truly put them first.” The former South Africa captain and batting mainstay had retired from international cricket in 2018.
“I would like to thank every teammate, every opponent, every coach, every physio, and every staff member who has travelled the same path, and I am humbled by the support I have received in South Africa, in India, wherever I have played. “Cricket has been exceptionally kind to me. Whether playing for the Titans, or the Proteas, or RCB, or around the world, the game has given me unimagined experiences and opportunities, and I will always be grateful.
“That’s the reality I must accept – and, even if it may seem sudden, that is why I am making this announcement today. I’ve had my time,” de Villiers added.
Since starting his association with RCB in 2011, he has enjoyed 11 fruitful seasons with the franchise and was its batting mainstay alongside Virat Kohli.
De Villiers has played 156 matches for RCB and scored 4,491 runs. He is the second all-time leading run-scorer behind Kohli and holds the second and third-highest individual run total in RCB history with 133 not out against Mumbai Indians (in 2015) and 129 not out against Gujarat Lions (in 2016).
Speaking about his association with the Indian club, de Villiers said, “I have had a long and fruitful time playing for RCB. Eleven years have just whizzed by and leaving the boys is extremely bittersweet. ”Of course, arriving at this decision took a lot of time, but after a lot of contemplation, I’ve decided to hang up my boots and spend quality time with my family. I would like to thank the RCB management, my friend Virat Kohli, teammates, coaches, support staff, fans, and the entire RCB family for showing faith and supporting me all through these years. ”It has been a memorable journey with RCB. Have so many memories on the personal front to cherish for a lifetime. RCB will always be very close to me and my family and will continue to support this amazing team. I am an RCBian forever.”
De Villiers has played 114 Tests and scored 8,765 runs at an average of 50.66. He has also taken two Test wickets. His highest score was 278 not out and also has 22 centuries against his name. Making his Test debut against England in 2004, de Villiers has been one of the star performers of South Africa.
He has been a 360-degree player in ODIs and T20 Internationals. De Villiers has played 228 ODIs and scored 9577 runs at an impressive average of 53.50. His highest score in ODIs was 176 at a strike rate of 101.09. He has scored 25 centuries in ODIs. He made his ODI debut in 2005 against England.
In 78 T20 internationals, he has scored 1672 runs at an average of 26.12. He made his T20 international debut in 2006 against Australia.
The franchise said he “will go down as one of the greatest players in the team’s illustrious history”.
RCB chairman Prathmesh Mishra said, ”AB de Villiers has been among the best ambassadors of the game, and we are honoured to have him represent RCB in the IPL. His work ethic has been impeccable, which has not only rubbed off on the team but has left a high benchmark for other youngsters to follow. “AB has been a true leader, both on and off the field and we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for his tireless commitment in helping RCB establish itself as one of the premier franchises in the IPL. “We wish AB all the best for his next innings in life. He will always be part of the RCB family.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first public comment on the subject as the government works on new rules for digital currencies said, “The world’s democracies must work together on cryptocurrency to ensure it “does not end up in the wrong hand”.
Manu Zacharia, Cyber Security Evangelist said, “Cryptocurrencies are more like a necessary evil. It is the future of digital currency. However, as with any technology, it is a double-edged sword. When not used in a controlled and mature manner, it can have devastating effects, both individually as well as from a national perspective. Cryptocurrencies have added a new dimension to information and financial warfare by evolving as one of the economic pillars for financial dominance. From an individual perspective; many youngsters are getting into the cryptocurrency space. A good amount of market study and analysis is always recommended to understand the risk involved and to take an appropriate decision.”
“From an individual perspective, many youngsters are getting into the cryptocurrency space. A good amount of market study and analysis is always recommended to understand the risk involved and to take an appropriate decision,” said Utkarsh Tambe, IT professional from Pune.
“I don’t understand its rationale. To me, it looks like a highly sophisticated Ponzi scheme. I hope Indian youth are able to resist the temptation,” said RTI activist Shailesh Gandhi.
Social Media Activist – Nandita Thakur said, “It seems cryptocurrency will be the future currency but with no rules and regulations, it is highly risky. The trend is Youth are the biggest investors in it, hope they are not stealing, borrowing or begging money to invest and are emotionally stronger to handle the situation arising in case of losing money.”
Harin Naik, an IT professional from Gujarat said, “Cryptocurrency used to be nerd money. Lots of early investors have made a fortune from it. Youth can be definitely vulnerable to it because it can buy anything and everything if you know where to shop for it.”
Suresh Nakhua, BJP spokesperson said, “As per latest reports more than 105 million Indians (7.9%) of the population is invested in the cryptocurrency to the tune of $10 Billion. Basically, cryptocurrency is a decentralised currency and nobody can deny its presence and influence. Indian govt is cognizant of the fact that this is an evolving tech and will keep a close eye on it and take proactive steps. The steps taken by GOI would be progressive and forward-looking, including engaging with experts and other stakeholders. The Government also feels that any attempt to mislead the youth through over-promising and non-transparent advertising has to be stopped. Unregulated crypto markets cannot be left to become avenues for money laundering and terror financing.”
Keval Domadia, a Cyber security expert from Gujarat said, “The base technology of cryptocurrency, the blockchain, and also the concept of a decentralised currency is definitely a concept of the 21st century. In fact, from economic evolution point of view, we have moved from barter to currency age, and have been doing so for over 5 centuries now. It is time to upgrade that and fill the gap of foreign exchange because the businesses have gone global. However, the implementation of a very promising BitCoin, ETH and every other crypto was wrong, it lacked global regulatory authority or a way to prove how their currency creates value. Without regulation, it is not at all a secured form of investment or a legal transaction tender. Eventually, it has turned out to be a Forex style gambling concept that thrives on marketing and pure speculation. Forex, however, returns something tangible, is recommended.”
Amandeep Singh, a farmer in the Tech domain said, “Cryptocurrency, like every other trend in technology, looks very lucrative at this time however we must keep in mind that it is not yet regulated. Indian youth should not look for and become habitual to make easy money from it.”
Ajit Hatti a cyber security expert said, “Money is the power which drives the world. Just like any other power source, money is regulated by the government and government authorized institutions. Cryptocurrencies make transactions anonymous and free from the control and regulations of government or institutions. This feature of cryptocurrency has been majorly (ab)used by bad actors, criminal syndicates to evade regulations, trace and accountability to carry out overwhelmingly large globally coordinated illegal activities. Ransomware attacks, Silk Road darknet are a few such examples. Common people in India are seeing Bitcoins and cryptocurrencies as investment avenues and assets as we have seen insane growth in the price of Bitcoins from a few pennies to 60K USD in a decade. People also see them as a reliable alternative to Swiss Bank accounts, which is not a viable option after the Indian government works out new disclosure agreements with the European countries.”
Bhavesh Parmar a Chartered Accountant said, “Most popular investment tools in India, higher profit in short term and more crypto exchange choices are attracting youth. High volatility in crypto exchange India platforms like WazirX, coinDCX, etc get more investors to make a user-friendly app.”
Anett Kontaveit put aside losing to Spain’s Garbine Muguruza in the championship match of the WTA Finals in Guadalajara on Wednesday, saying the momentum from her memorable end-of-season run would hold her in good stead next year.
The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the Bombay High Court verdict which had held that no offence of sexual assault under the POCSO Act is made out if there is no direct skin-to-skin contact between an accused and victim.
A magistrate’s court on Wednesday declared former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh a “proclaimed offender” in an extortion case registered against him and other police officers in the city.
Singer-actor Harry Styles recently announced his foray into the beauty industry with the launch of his brand Pleasing, and his ladylove and actor Olivia Wilde showed support for her beau by sharing his brand reveal post. Taking to her Instagram Story, she cleverly captioned the black-and-white clip, “I find this very pleasing.”
The Supreme Court Collegium has approved the proposal for the elevation of senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal as a judge of the Delhi High Court. If appointed, Kirpal would be the first openly gay judge in the country. The matter had been stuck since India’s central intelligence agency, which reports to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raised a red flag about Kirpal’s foreign life partner.
Laxmi Narayan Tripathi is a transgender/Hijra rights activist told Afternoon Voice, “There are many advocates and judges in India who are married to foreign women and many female advocates to foreign men. Saurabh’s sexuality should not be the reason why his candidature has not been considered for elevation as a judge. The government has to come out of their myopic vision.”
Pranam Seth (Gay Beautician) said, “Look at our skills are merits, we are no less than straight people. Saurabh Kripal is a very successful lawyer of India; he argued the case that led to the reading down of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, by giving us the right to live with dignity. If this time the government does not consider his candidature for judge of the Delhi High Court, then they are displaying their bigotry.”
Navya Singh, Brand Ambassador of Miss Transqueen India told us, “The NDA government is very conservative and anti-people government. If Kirpal’s sexual orientation is the reason why his elevation is pending, then these political parties should keep in mind, we too are the voters of this nation, and we have every right to reserve our vote against such prejudice.”
Aryan Pasha, India’s first trans man bodybuilder said, “Had he (Saurabh Kripal) been a straight person by now he would have got all the favours and perks. Our society and government still have this reservation for the LGBT community. We are in the 21st century, what message this government is giving to the common public, that one should not promote or encourage a Gay professional? This is dangerous.”
Actor Nushrratt Bharuccha says she was moved by the message of her upcoming film “Chhorii” because it uses horror as a narrative device to drive home a larger point without being “preachy”.