AB de Villiers even thanked all the sacrifices people around him made for him to become successful.
While Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans were expecting the franchise to use one of their retention cards to keep AB de Villiers back for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season, the batter has now spoken and said that he is retiring from all forms of cricket.
Talking about the same in a series of tweets, the RCB batter from South Africa said that the 'flame' he had to play cricket 'no longer burns so brightly'.
"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," the Proteas star said.
He went on to add and said, "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. Cricket has been exceptionally kind to me.
"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".
He even thanked all the sacrifices people around him made for him to become successful. "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".
De Villiers' announcement means he has ended his association with his IPL franchise RCB. The decorated batter, who began his RCB career in 2011, enjoyed 10 seasons and had been a crucial part of 5 Playoff runs in his time.
RCB took to Twitter and wrote, "End of an era! There’s nobody like you, AB. We'll miss you dearly at RCB. For all that you've done and given to the team, to the fans, and to cricket lovers in general, #ThankYouAB Happy retirement, legend!"
The legendary cricketer has played 156 matches for RCB and scored 4,491 runs. He is the second all-time leading run-scorer behind his teammate Virat Kohli and holds the second and third-highest individual run total in RCB history with 133* against Mumbai Indians (in 2015) and 129* against Gujarat Lions (in 2016).
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