AB de Villiers Height, Age, Wife, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About AB de Villiers

• AB de Villiers does not smoke.

• AB de Villiers does consume alcohol.

• AB de Villiers was born into a family that had a deep passion for sports and they were always supportive of his involvement in various athletic activities. A childhood photo of AB de Villiers captures these early moments of his sporting journey.

• During his childhood, AB de Villiers engaged in numerous sports including cricket, badminton, tennis, squash, swimming, football, golf, and rugby, but eventually, he developed a strong passion for cricket. Throughout his school years, de Villiers displayed exceptional skills and achievements in various aspects of his life.

• In his childhood, he had a mischievous nature and got into trouble for his love of playing pranks, leading to his expulsion from school.

• AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis, who have been close friends since their childhood, are both exceptionally talented cricketers from South Africa.

• At the age of 20, he made his debut for South Africa after participating in 16 first-class games.

• His inspiration is Jonty Rhodes, the exceptional fielder from South Africa.

• Before 2008, he was known for his reckless batting style and tendency to lose his wicket easily, never fully utilizing his potential. However, following a lackluster performance in the 1st Test against England at Lord’s in April 2008, South African captain Graeme Smith and coach Mickey Arthur confronted him with a decisive choice. AB responded positively to the criticism and proved his worth by scoring an impressive 174 runs in the 2nd Test at Headingley, securing his position in the team.

• In 2010, he teamed up with singer and songwriter Ampie Du Preez to create a bilingual English/Afrikaans album titled ‘Maak Jou Drome Waar’ or ‘Make Your Dreams Come True.’ Music holds a vital role in his life.

• He achieved the astonishing fastest ODI century record on 18 January 2015, completing it in just 31 balls against West Indies at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

• Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably as South Africa lost in the heart-stopping World Cup 2015 semi-final match against New Zealand, and he wept openly on the field.

• According to Jonty Rhodes, AB expressed his desire to retire from Test cricket in 2016, but Cricket South Africa advised him against it.

• AB de Villiers published his autobiography “AB: The Autobiography” in both English and Afrikaans in September 2016.

• Contrary to the fake stories circulating on the internet about his exceptional multi-sport abilities and achievements, his autobiography uncovers the truth about his early school days. In it, he discloses that he once held an impressive record in the Under-9 breaststroke category, as well as being ranked as the top tennis player in his age group at a national level.

• He has garnered nicknames such as “Mr. 360” and “Superman” due to his remarkably innovative shots on the cricket field.

• He is a supporter of the ‘Make a Difference Foundation’, which aids outstanding scholars from various fields in South Africa.

• In a video message on 23 May 2018, he sent shockwaves through the cricket community worldwide by declaring his retirement from international cricket. He expressed that he had either “exhausted his fuel” or simply lacked the energy to continue playing the sport.

• He made an announcement on 3 October 2022 through social media that he will not be resuming his cricket career following the surgery on his right eye. He mentioned that he intends to visit Chinnaswamy Stadium the following year, not for playing cricket, but to personally apologize to the RCB fans for the team’s failure to win the IPL title so far. He also expressed his heartfelt gratitude for their unwavering support over the past ten years. Regrettably, he can no longer take part in cricket due to the surgery on his right eye.