In a sensational revelation, AB de Villiers has revealed that Virat Kohli had stopped talking to him after he leaked the news of the arrival of his second child. However, this didn’t change anything between the two good friends.
The former South African captain also opened up about the emotional bond and private conversations he had with Virat Kohli in the last six months leading up to his shocking retirement from Test cricket. De Villiers admitted that he was well aware of what Kohli was going through, and he fully supports the former Indian captain’s decision to step away from Tests.
Virat Kohli stopped talking to AB de Villiers after Anushka Sharma’s pregnancy leak!
The Proteas legend himself shocked the world with an early retirement from the game at 34 to balance his life. He admitted that there were a lot of similarities between his own decision and Kohli’s, as both had carried the weight of their teams on their shoulders for over a decade. Notably, the former Indian captain will now only represent the country in the ODIs.
AB de Villiers said on Cricket.com’s Unwind podcast, “I know we were in the same boat, because we spoke about it. He’s been in touch with me over the last six months. Thank goodness, because I did have a bit of a footfall not so long ago when they were expecting their second child. So, I was very relieved when he started talking to me again.”
AB de Villiers spills the beans on Virat Kohli’s Test retirement and personal struggles
The legendary cricketer revealed that Kohli reached out to him for ideas when he was going through a tough phase, and the two modern-day greats spoke about how to handle things both on and off the field. When the pressure of expectations, team dynamics, and the weight of years in international cricket had taken a toll on him, Kohli prioritized his well-being just like AB.
De Villiers further explained, “I knew what kind of phase he was going through, considering his age, how many games he’s played, the dynamics of being in the team all the time, and the politics thereof as well. Lots of things weigh in on you. And I shared with him from the heart what I felt and what I thought, what I was seeing from the side, watching him on the screen.”
While fans across the globe were left heartbroken by Kohli’s Test retirement, AB de Villiers said that the dashing right-hander has taken the decision after a deep reflection and from the heart, not out of pressure but maturity, and he fully supports his friend.
AB de Villiers backs Virat Kohli’s bold Test retirement, hopes for more fireworks in ODIs
The Proteas said that he is really happy for Kohli that he is still finding joy in ODI cricket, and he hopes to see many more memorable innings from the batting maestro in white-ball cricket.
De Villiers signed off by saying, “The decision of not playing test cricket would have come from the heart, and I support him 100% with that. He’s had a wonderful career, and I want him to enjoy his cricket until the very last ball. And if that is the way forward for him, then great, I’m right behind him. Hopefully a lot more white-ball cricket is left for him.”
the “thank goodness” is so real i also thought it was so over for them until he wrote than 1000 word letter for AB’s hof induction lol pic.twitter.com/YhwXLlkISW https://t.co/Ww5SGILmjl
— ash (@lwtfinallyfree) June 14, 2025
