‘Yes, he tried’: AB de Villiers reveals Virat Kohli wanted him to delay RCB exit

AB de Villiers on TOI Sports’ Bombay Sports Exchange podcast (left) and Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batsman AB de Villiers has revealed that Virat Kohli tried to convince him not to quit franchise cricket before he retires from the game in 2021.In an interview on TOI Sports’ Bombay Sports Exchange Podcast, de Villiers said that Kohli tried to change his mind but had already decided that the time was right to move on. “Yes. He tried,” de Villiers said when asked if Kohli tried to stop him.The South African great retired from international cricket in 2018 after helping his team beat India and Australia at home. He went on to play franchise cricket, including for RCB in the Indian Premier League (IPL), before retiring from all forms of the game in 2021.“I retired from international cricket exactly when I wanted to (2018). We beat India and Australia at home and I retired with a big lead.”“Then I decided to go ahead and play a few T20 tournaments, travel the world with my family, take them to the IPL, to England for the Blast, to Australia for the Big Bash and a few other tournaments. When I finally felt ready, I called it a day (also from cricket in 2021).”De Villiers said that quitting the IPL was not a sudden decision and that he thought about it during his last season.“It took time. That thought stayed in my mind for the whole last season or so. Finally, I just went to Virat and said, ‘I’m done’,” de Villiers said.De Villiers also spoke about the pressure of playing in front of packed crowds at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru where fans chanted his name.“That can be exhausting, too. Those moments also bring sleepless nights. It’s not all sunshine and roses. There are hard times too. The expectations and the pressure you put on yourself can be suffocating at times. I’ve talked about it before. I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve achieved. But I often had trouble falling asleep before big games. I’d be so focused on making it so easy on myself.” De Villiers said on TOI Sports’ Bombay Sports Exchange Podcast.Reflecting on life after retirement, he said the joy of success doesn’t last long, even for the greatest players.“Of course, I miss those moments. When everything clicked and the crowd helped me get into that zone, it was an incredible feeling. But success fades very quickly. Every champion will tell you the same thing. You win the biggest trophy and an hour later you ask yourself: “What now?” Then your attention immediately shifts to the next trophy. You’re never completely satisfied with those achievements, I can look back on these achievements now.