South Africa’s one of the most talented batsmen, AB de Villiers’ shocked everyone when he announced his retirement from international cricket in 2018. The news baffled Cricket South Africa. It was tough to replace the star player just months before the ICC 50-over World Cup in 2019. Faf du Plessis recently spoke on AB de Villiers’ decision to bid goodbye to international cricket career.
The then skipper Faf du Plessis said that they knew how desperately they need him in the team. However, now he has spilled the beans on why he didn’t convince ABD to stay in the team.
In a conversation with team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel, du Plessis said, “When AB left, it was really tough for me, because I depended a lot on him, as a friend, and obviously as the best player in the team; we needed his skills.”
Faf further added, “So that conversation was … when he said that to me, said he was done, he was finished with international cricket, as a friend, my first instinct was, ‘I’m here for you, and I’ll support you, if you feel like you’re at the end of your career and you don’t want to do it anymore, then that’s okay – I support that decision 100 percent.”
The Proteas star player said that as a captain had overwhelmed with the question of how to move forward without ABD. He also thought about who will deliver the same performance as ABD did.
Recalling the moment Faf said, “But the friend in me trumped the captain in me.”
Reminiscing the conversation he had with ABD, Faf said that he remembers telling Mr. 360 that they are going to miss him. He even asked ABD if he’s sure about taking retirement.
ABD replied to it by saying that he is 100 per cent sure. As he doesn’t have the drive to do it anymore, he is stopping.
Faf said that he respected his decision and left it there even when the team needed him desperately.
Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers’ share an amazing bond off the field. Surely, this conversation between them shows the mutual respect they have for each other.