Top 50 AB de Villiers Quotes

It’s never been about my own runs. If I can score as many as possible to get us into a position to win, then I’ll be a very happy man.

I have played incredible knocks with the lightest of bats.

I can’t keep playing 10-11 months a year and keep being sharp after 15 years of international cricket.

It would not be right for me to pick and choose where, when, and in what format I play for the Proteas.

I feel I handle the pressure situations well, and that’s why I want to be there at the end.

I’m a bit undercooked when it comes to keeping in Test cricket, but I’ve had a lot of experience in T20 and ODIs for my country, and my keeping has improved a lot.

It’s never easy to lose. But life is not all sunshine and roses.

It’s important on any English wicket to leave well.

I don’t overthink things.

From a personal standpoint, my ability to play all around the wicket is more mindset than anything else.

My mindset in all three formats, in any situation, is exactly the same. I just want to get myself in, get myself a nice foundation to hopefully attack and dominate the bowlers.

I truly believe that players who tell you they don’t feel the pressure of international cricket, of being away from home for months at a time, are lying to everyone and themselves.

I rest a bit more when I keep. The only thing I have to look after is my back and using different muscle groups.

I have always wanted to play at the top of the order.

There are so many dreams that I’d like to follow.

Playing at the highest level alongside your friends, scoring runs for your country are things that I look back and go, ‘Ah, I miss that a little bit,’ but there’s a lot I don’t miss. I don’t miss 90 per cent of it.

I believe I am strong mentally. My breaking points might be bigger than most players. I think it’s because of the way I grew up with my two older brothers. They pushed my limits quite often – once every day, I think! I think that played a big role in my breaking point being bigger than most players. Not all players.

There’s a lot of reasons I had to move on. Family’s definitely a big part of it. And the longevity of my career – I played for 15 years, and I was just tired of the whole international scene. It’s quite busy. Very stressful.

The interests of the team must always outweigh the interests of any individual, including me.

I know my game pretty well, and that is the secret to success in most sports.

The main lesson I learned from 2015 is that a World Cup doesn’t define a player’s career.

To cross the line for the team, to have an impact on winning the game – that’s why I play this game.

It’s a huge honour to play my 100th Test, and I never in my life thought I’ll be in this kind of position.

I watch the ball, and I just play. I have always said that I don’t feel there’s a big difference between the three formats. It is just a mindset, applying yourself to the wicket and conditions, and that’s always been the way that I have played.

You’ve got to be able to work hard. There must be inner drive that you want to be the best in the world at what you do.

I just try and earn my right to get on top of the bowlers, and that is how I play every game.

Test cricket is the ultimate challenge.

I will always be grateful to the coaches and staff of Cricket South Africa for their support through all these years.

I’m not the kind of guy who cares how many hundreds I’ve scored.

I try and keep my feet on the ground and keep working at my game.

It’s always been the most important thing for me to enjoy my cricket.

I had a long run as a captain. I had some fantastic ups and also quite a few lows in between.

For my part, I am not a great believer in bad luck on the cricket field, in business – in fact, in any walk of life.

I’ve always been a people pleaser.

Sometimes you don’t quite realise what you have achieved until you look back.

I will continue to be the biggest supporter of Faf du Plessis and the Proteas.

I know nothing will compare to that feeling of scoring hundreds in a big game.

I was brought up to always see the glass half full instead of half empty and played my cricket that way.

In my heart, international cricket is the way forward. That’s where you want to play; that’s where the pressure really lies. That’s where you make your name.

I don’t like to celebrate my own achievements.

I prefer to be out of the spotlight, to be honest. I’ve always been that kind of personality.

The most important people to please are your family.

It’s tough at slip. The ball doesn’t come to you very often. So from that perspective, I enjoy keeping more – you’re in the game the whole time.

It’s always been about the team; it’s never been about myself.

I try and watch the ball closely. I’ve played the game for many years now, and I know my talent will take over if I just watch the ball and enjoy myself out there.

You live for those pressure moments. Through an international career, you have ups and downs, but you always feel you are going to be tested in moments like that. It has taken me years to feel comfortable and to feel like I have good composure in those situations.

An IPL match may be decided when the ball passes inches beyond the grasp of a fielder on the boundary or when a direct hit catches a batsman inches short of the crease.

Money wasn’t the motivating factor in calling time on my international career and focusing on T20 cricket. If I was here to make as much money as I can, I would be playing 10 to 12 tournaments a year.

I know Test cricket is more about endurance. T20 is more about innovating, creating, and the energy at the wicket.

You represent your country – that’s the biggest honour ever. I had the privilege of doing that for more than 14 years.