ICC World Cup 2019 | We had moved on from AB when he wanted to make a return, says Ottis Gibson
South Africa coach Ottis Gibson has stated that when AB de Villiers called him to express his desire to play for South Africa again, he was completely surprised. Gibson has also added that he had discussed the situation with the batsman during Mzansi League game at SuperSport Park on December 12.
When ESPNCricinfo revealed that AB de Villiers had approached the South African team management for a possible return to the squad, and was eventually turned down by the team management, it created a huge furore. Although Cricket South Africa released a good enough statement, justifying their stance, the issue is not dying down a bit. When Gibson was asked about the same in the press conference, he admitted that the news that de Villiers was interested in an international return came as a surprise.
"The interesting thing ... since he's retired, we've won every series that we've played, and I haven't had many AB questions. I sat with some in Cape Town during the camp, and we sat for 20 minutes or half an hour, and there wasn't one AB question like that.
“Suddenly we've come to the World Cup and we've had one bad week, and AB is the saviour. But the guy is retired, he's made his decision, and we as a team, and I guess you guys, as well, we have to live with the decision that he's made, and he has to live with the decision that he's made. To come the day before and say that he'd like to come back would seem a little bit strange to say the least.”
De Villiers announced his retirement from the game in May 2018 and in various interviews, stated that there were no plans for him to return to international cricket once again. Gibson, however, asked him about the possibility in December and had to give up when the talisman told him that there was no way he was going to make a return.
“I actually saw him in December. When I came back on 12 December, there was a Mzansi League game at SuperSport Park when I saw him briefly on the field, he was spinning a toss, I was doing an interview on the ground, and I said, ‘Are you finished with this retirement nonsense yet’, and he said, ‘Look, I'm happy with my retirement. I'm happy with the decision I've made’ and so on, and that was the end of that.
"He also called me the day that he did retire in May. I don't think you should have to beg a guy to play for his country, but I did make it clear that I thought he was making a bad decision, that he could help us win the World Cup, and he said he had made his decision and it was time to spend time with his family, and that was the end of that really.”
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