'It might not be a bad time…' - Former South African cricketer opens up on possible retirement of Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is an iconic figure in world cricket. He recently achieved the distinction of becoming the fastest batsman to reach 13,000 runs in One Day Internationals (ODIs) when scored a century against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023. At the age of 34, while contemporaries like Alex Hales and Shane Watson have retired, Kohli remains dedicated to showcasing his cricketing prowess in the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023, marking his fourth appearance in this prestigious major event.

Advertisment

The former South African cricketer AB de Villiers, who shared the field with the 34-year-old for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, has weighed in on the potential retirement of his close friend from international limited-overs cricket. De Villiers believes that if India triumphs in the upcoming World Cup, it could be an ideal moment for Kohli to consider retiring from limited-overs cricket and redirect his focus towards Test cricket and the IPL in the latter part of his career.

“I know he loves travelling to South Africa, 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 on his YouTube channel.

Don't think that is his focus: De Villiers on Virat breaking Sachin Tendular's record

Advertisment

The former India skipper broke Sachin Tendulkar's world record during his Asia Cup century, becoming the fastest to reach 13,000 ODI runs. The legendary Indian batter has consistently shattered Tendulkar's batting records over the years and is now just two centuries away from surpassing Tendulkar's record of 100 international centuries, a milestone that Tendulkar is the first and only player to achieve in the history of cricket.

“I don't think that is his focus. That is not his main drive. Virat has never been all about myself kind of a guy. He wants to win World Cups for his team and be part of a successful unit in all formats of the game. He is a team player, and that's what you see on the field (with) all those emotions coming out. Especially when he is fielding, there is nothing really to gain for him, but you could see that emotion, which tells you how much it means to him to win,” De Villiers concluded.