AB de Villiers Quotes

I announced my retirement from international cricket in May 2018 because I wanted to reduce my workload and spend more time with my wife and young sons. Some have insisted I was motivated purely by money. They are wrong.

I rest a bit more when I keep. The only thing I have to look after is my back and using different muscle groups.

For my part, I am not a great believer in bad luck on the cricket field, in business – in fact, in any walk of life.

The interests of the team must always outweigh the interests of any individual, including me.

When I’m fielding at point, I’m running all over that field, and I’m really tired by the end of the innings.

It’s important to make sure your players have the mindset that playing international cricket is still the ultimate form of cricket.

My mindset in all three formats, in any situation, is exactly the same. I just want to get myself in, get myself a nice foundation to hopefully attack and dominate the bowlers.

There’s a lot of reasons I had to move on. Family’s definitely a big part of it. And the longevity of my career – I played for 15 years, and I was just tired of the whole international scene. It’s quite busy. Very stressful.

The main lesson I learned from 2015 is that a World Cup doesn’t define a player’s career.

I don’t really like attention too much.

I watch the ball, and I just play. I have always said that I don’t feel there’s a big difference between the three formats. It is just a mindset, applying yourself to the wicket and conditions, and that’s always been the way that I have played.

Sometimes you don’t quite realise what you have achieved until you look back.

I just try and earn my right to get on top of the bowlers, and that is how I play every game.

I like to entertain the crowd. Personally I like to entertain my team-mates first, but when the crowd gets going, it is amazing.

I prefer to be out of the spotlight, to be honest. I’ve always been that kind of personality.

For me, in green and gold, it must be everything or nothing.

I don’t like to celebrate my own achievements.

I have been massively proud to have played for and, indeed, captain my country on the cricket field.

For some guys, playing for the team will mean achieving more personally.

I can’t keep playing 10-11 months a year and keep being sharp after 15 years of international cricket.

I’m a bit undercooked when it comes to keeping in Test cricket, but I’ve had a lot of experience in T20 and ODIs for my country, and my keeping has improved a lot.

I try and watch the ball closely. I’ve played the game for many years now, and I know my talent will take over if I just watch the ball and enjoy myself out there.

An IPL match may be decided when the ball passes inches beyond the grasp of a fielder on the boundary or when a direct hit catches a batsman inches short of the crease.

I know Test cricket is more about endurance. T20 is more about innovating, creating, and the energy at the wicket.

If I play all the IPL games the whole season, I do get a bit tired towards the end.

We all grow up dreaming of playing international cricket.

My personal goals have always and will always take a backseat to the team.

Winning an official World Cup with the South African team had become my burning ambition.

I am fully aware that cricket is like a second religion in Pakistan.

Captaining South Africa was definitely not one of my goals.

I’ve made peace with the fact that the World Cup will not define me. Yes, it would be nice to add that to what’s been a very enjoyable career, but I know it won’t define me as a person or cricketer.

I’ve always been shy.

It will never be much fun until a Proteas team finally goes out and wins one of these ICC limited-overs tournaments. That will happen one day.

I truly love captaining. I’ve grown into enjoying it.

Far from being a mere consequence of winning, strong team spirit is an essential ingredient of sporting success; it comes before, not afterwards.

The most important people to please are your family.

It’s always been the most important thing for me to enjoy my cricket.

You’ve got to be able to work hard. There must be inner drive that you want to be the best in the world at what you do.

I believe I am strong mentally. My breaking points might be bigger than most players. I think it’s because of the way I grew up with my two older brothers. They pushed my limits quite often – once every day, I think! I think that played a big role in my breaking point being bigger than most players. Not all players.

Obviously I want to be there at the end every time, winning games for the team.

I will continue to be the biggest supporter of Faf du Plessis and the Proteas.

There are big tournaments going on around the world, and some of them you cannot ignore because, financially, they make a huge difference in our lives.

I was brought up to always see the glass half full instead of half empty and played my cricket that way.

I’ll do whatever it takes for us to win games of cricket. If I have to sledge, I’ll get involved like that. I’ll try and intimidate a player if I have to.

After 114 Test matches, 228 ODIs, and 78 T20 Internationals, it is time for others to take over. I have had my turn, and to be honest, I am tired.

I truly believe that players who tell you they don’t feel the pressure of international cricket, of being away from home for months at a time, are lying to everyone and themselves.

I love keeping. I’m in the game all the time. I see angles that I wouldn’t normally see, and I feel part of what the captain does.

I don’t overthink things.

I think I have a natural hitting ability.

I will always be grateful to the coaches and staff of Cricket South Africa for their support through all these years.

From a personal standpoint, my ability to play all around the wicket is more mindset than anything else.

I’ve always been a people pleaser.

I know my game pretty well, and that is the secret to success in most sports.

I’m not the kind of guy who cares how many hundreds I’ve scored.

It’s always been about the team; it’s never been about myself.

I try and keep my feet on the ground and keep working at my game.

I believe all teams choke in certain situations.

I have played incredible knocks with the lightest of bats.

I know what makes me good, and it’s not a bat.

Obviously, international cricket is the main cricket you want to play, especially Test cricket.