• Cricket fraternity paid tribute to AB de Villiers on his retirement.

  • De Villiers bid farewell to all forms of the game on November 19.

From Virat Kohli to Rohit Sharma: Cricket fraternity pays tribute to AB de Villiers following his retirement
Virat Kohli, Ab de Villiers, Rohit Sharma (Image Source: Twitter)

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South African legend AB de Villiers announced retirement from all formats of cricket on November 19, 2021. The former Proteas skipper was already away from international cricket since 2018 but continued playing in the T20 leagues around the world. But, now, he has retired from all the forms of the fascinating game.

“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,” tweeted de Villiers.

Following de Villiers’ retirement, the cricket fraternity paid tribute to the legendary South African batsman.

Indian captain Virat Kohli, who is the teammate of de Villiers in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), wrote a heartfelt note for his best friend and brother.

“To the best player of our times and the most inspirational person I’ve met, you can be very proud of what you’ve done and what you’ve given to RCB, my brother. Our bond is beyond the game and will always be. This hurts my heart, but I know you’ve made the best decision for yourself and your family like you’ve always done. I love you, @ABdeVilliers17,” tweeted Kohli.

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson took to his official Twitter handle and wrote: “The biggest congratulations to @ABdeVilliers17 on a mind-blowing cricket career. The things you did on the cricket field, us mere mortals, could only watch on in awe. And to go with it, the sweetest and kindest teammate I have ever played with. Enjoy the next exciting phase.”

Newly-appointed India’s T20I captain Rohit Sharma sent his best wishes to de Villiers and said it was always a pleasure to watch the batting phenom.

“Not many people have had the impact on the game like AB did. It was indeed a pleasure to watch him play from the other side. Happy retirement AB, best wishes to and your family @ABdeVilliers17,” wrote Rohit on the micro-blogging website.

Here is how other cricketers reacted:

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