"Maybe I should write a book about my IPL career" - AB de Villiers on how the T20 league changed his life

Former South African and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter AB de Villiers has admitted that playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) changed his life forever. The Proteas legend recalled being unsure about the T20 league during his initial years, but added that just being picked at the inaugural auction felt fantastic.

The 37-year-old played for the Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) in the first few IPL seasons. He then moved to the RCB in 2011 and, over the next decade, was an inseparable part of the franchise.

Looking back at his eventful IPL journey, the former cricketer said on the RCB podcast:

“Maybe I should write a book about my IPL career and how everything unfolded. I had absolutely no idea what to expect from the 1st IPL. I was still finding my feet at the international level. Lot of people said it was one of those leagues that would come and go. It’s such nonsense. But USD 300,000 (paid to him by Delhi) was a lot of money. It was ridiculous. That was life-changing right there. To be picked in the IPL was fantastic. It didn’t sink in till about halfway through my career.”

After a slow start to his IPL career, De Villiers ended up playing 184 matches in the T20 league, scoring over 5000 runs at a strike rate of 151.68.

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“Felt natural when Chinnaswamy was cheering my name” - AB de Villiers

During his playing career, the South African made a name for himself as someone known for achieving incredible feats and pulling off the near impossible.

De Villiers admitted that from a very small age he had a desire to do something special. He elaborated:

“It’s a real deep desire. In our garage at home, I would spend three hours hitting tennis balls on the wall. From a very young age, 3-4 years old, it was in my mind to do stuff that ultimately ended up happening on a cricket field. It immediately felt natural when Chinnaswamy was cheering my name. I was surprised, but it felt like - this is what I am here for.”

Unlike many other star overseas cricketers, De Villiers enjoys an incredible fan following in India. His name used to be chanted by the Indian crowds even when he was playing for South Africa.

Asked to define his special bond with the Indian fans, the former Proteas captain replied:

“I don’t know how the following happened. I’ll forever be speechless. It’s just incredible. To all the Indian fans, I’ll be ever grateful. There were no better moments, especially when I played for South Africa. Coming over (to India), you are supposed to get booed, not cheered on. It’s emotional for me and just really amazing.”

De Villiers announced his shock retirement from international cricket in 2018, citing fatigue. He quit all forms of the game in November 2021.