AB de Villiers thinks that the Indian player Virat Kohli could be retiring from international cricket if India wins the ODI World Cup 2023.
AB de Villiers statement on Kohli’s retirement
With the World Cup arrived, AB de Villiers thinks that it would be not a bad time for Virat Kohli to retire from ODI cricket if India wins the marquee tournament.
Virat Kohli’s career had remarkable records since his debut and by 2013 he reached the number one spot in the ICC rankings for ODI batsmen. In 2023, he was known as the best batsman globally with a high batting average.
He had played 281 matches, he had scored 13,083 runs with an average of 57.38. He has a total of 47 centuries in ODIs, which is only two behind Sachin Tendulkar’s record.
He had played 16 matches in 2023, with a score of 612 runs with an average of 55.63. With being included in the 15-member squad for the upcoming World Cup, Virat Kohli has been eagerly waiting to play in the tournament which will take him to the next level.
AB de Villiers says it will be very difficult to see Virat Kohli will be there in 2027 World Cup in South Africa.
“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.
He also explained the reason on his decision not to play in 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 was 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.
With the inclusion of Ravichandran Ashwin in the World Cup Squad, India has finalized its 15-member squad for the tournament. With the Warmup games schedule starting from September 29, India will be playing their first Warmup match against England on September 30 at Barsapara Stadium and will face Netherlands in October 3 at Green Field Stadium.
