‘You have to be a special player to play for India, I would’ve missed out’ – AB de Villiers

Former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers has said that he wouldn’t have played international cricket if he was born in India. de Villiers has played for Delhi for three years before shifting to Bangalore in 2011. Since then, he became one of the mainstays in the squad for a long time alongside Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli. Last year, he announced his retirement from the league.

In 184 he played in the ITL, the right-hander amassed 5162 runs averaging 39.70 with three hundred and 40 fifties. The Protean has enjoyed a lot of fan following in India but believes that if he had been born in the country, he wouldn’t have played international cricket due to tough competition in Indian cricket.

“Growing up in India would have been interesting. Maybe I would have missed out on playing for India; who knows. It is tough to make it to the Indian team; you have to be a special player”, he said on RCB podcast.

The retired Bangalore player has added that the Bangalore team to him is a family. He further added that there were ups and downs like any other family and h had made some good relationships in the team.

“RCB to me is family. I mean it has been a life changing 10-11 years to me. Like any other family, there are ups and downs. There are beautiful, there’re amazing rides, there’s a bit of everything. There are good relationships and then there are those which go sour and that is all part of the fun. I look back with no regrets. I think back on my career at RCB as the most amazing years of my life.”