30th December 2014. India had drawn an enthralling Test against Australia and just as the press and other agencies were beginning to wind up their work for the day, news broke which was to extend their duties by a mere 5-6 hours.
MS Dhoni had announced his retirement from Test cricket, to send shockwaves through the cricketing fraternity. After the dust began to settle, the consequences – both positive and negative – of the decision began to kick in.
Would this help revitalise Dhoni’s limited-overs career? Would he be able to bring back the flair to his game that had been missing in the past few years? Would Dhoni quit post the World Cup in 2015? Was the end nearing on a great cricketing career?
Almost three years after taking the call, it can be safely said that Dhoni the batsman has not been able to create the impact the optimistic fans were hoping he would, but it can also be said with conviction that there is still no one as good as him when it comes to handling the mitts behind the stumps.
Fast forward three years and international cricket finds itself in the middle of yet another similarly impending crisis, involving a big name. The only difference being the facts and reasons are open to the public.
AB de Villiers has hinted at a potential retirement from Test cricket, in a bid to prepare and be ready for the 2019 World Cup, a long-term goal he has been keeping his eye on, ever since last year.
The right call at the right time
It is understandable why de Villiers is looking at that World Cup as the holy grail, both from a team’s and a personal perspective.
It’s now over 25 years since South Africa re-entered the international scene and during their journey, they have sadly attained the title of ‘chokers’ for their ability to falter at crunch moments and wilt under pressure. A fit de Villiers, firing on all cylinders, would only enhance their hopes of ending the barren, trophyless run.
From a personal point of view, it would be the best finish to a career that has enthralled the masses. If there is one trophy which a player of the stature of de Villiers deserves, it is the World Cup and it would be a pity if he ends his career with no trophy to his name.
Starting now, until the World Cup, South Africa are scheduled to play 18 Test matches. However, in between now and then, the Proteas are set to travel away from home only twice – once for a limited-overs series against Australia and then for a full-fledged series against Sri Lanka.
Also read: AB de Villiers to take a call on his cricket future in August
At home, though, South Africa are slated to play three subcontinental sides in the summer – India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Three sides who can pull off sensational wins on any surface, if they wake up on the right side of the bed.
Would South Africa miss de Villiers’s presence in those series? Surely in two out of the three series they would.
But the larger question would be: Are South Africa willing to sacrifice their best player for these matches, and get back later the same player in prime fitness, raring to go and win them their first title? They would surely prefer the latter.
Also to bear in mind is that de Villiers was an integral part of a South African side which won numerous landmark tours. Twin victories in Australia and England, triumphs in Sri Lanka and commendable performances in India, barring the 2015 series, mean that when he does quit, it will be with a fine legacy, one that he can be proud of.
Why this isn’t good for Test cricket
At a time when the administrators are looking at different ways to bring spectators to grounds, losing a player like de Villiers could prove to be a huge blow.
On the fourth day of a Test, with South Africa looking to inch ahead in the game, the right-hander has got the ability to play an innings which would be remembered long after the game is done.
The implications of such a performance are dual:
#1 It benefits South Africa
#2 It’s worth the several rands the fans pay to watch the star cricketer in full flight.
On the other hand, de Villiers has, in the past, shown that he can be equally capable playing match-saving innings, the kind the modern generation finds ‘boring’, but the sort Test cricket dearly needs.
At the moment, the longest format of the game has a dearth of players who can bat for a day or more and save matches, the ones who were on the market a decade or so back.
The Delhi Test of 2015 against India, and the game against Australia in Adelaide are only a few examples of when the right-hander showed he could present a dead bat for as long as he wanted to ensure the towel was not thrown in.
The series against England will be important for South Africa as they look to achieve the rare triple of winning three consecutive Test series in the Old Blighty.
de Villiers will be watching, no doubt. Will the result have any bearing on his possible decision? Time will tell.
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