'At 15, he should still be immature': ABD on protecting Sooryavanshi
AB de Villiers at The Times of India's Bombay Sport Exchange podcast Excerpts AB, welcome to Bombay Sport Exchange. You've had a packed schedule in
AB de Villiers at The Times of India's Bombay Sport Exchange podcast Excerpts AB, welcome to Bombay Sport Exchange. You've had a packed schedule in India with commentary and several other commitments. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. Are you enjoying your time in Mumbai? More exciting than Bengaluru? There is a very interesting quote from Novak Djokovic about what separates the very good from perhaps the greatest. He said the biggest difference is mental resilience - the mindset you bring to whatever you do. How much of what you achieved came from your mental approach rather than just talent? Can you learn that, or does it have to come naturally? Can you give me an example from your own career - a phase where you realised mental strength was perhaps everything? AB de Villiers in Test cricket (AFP Photo) When you started your career, T20 cricket hadn't fully established itself. One-Day Internationals were at their peak, and South Africa were one of the strongest Test-playing nations. Did you ever set a benchmark for yourself? Did you think, "I want to play 100 Test matches," or was your North Star simply to enjoy the game for as long as possible?
Albie Morkel once said, "Nobody will remember me if I play 200 T20 Internationals. But if I end up playing 50 or 70 Test matches, people will know what I brought to the game." Today, looking back, what carries more weight for you? The fact that you're one of only eight South Africans to play over 100 Tests, and one of only two South Africans to play more than 100 Tests while averaging over 50 alongside Jacques Kallis? AB de Villiers (Photo by ICC) What do you mean by "Test cricket is under threat"? There's always this discussion that Test cricket is in danger. Do you genuinely believe that? Does Test cricket not have a future, or does it simply not have the future that people expect it to have? Because people will always continue to play the game. So that's the biggest danger you see. Do you also see a solution? I still remember the third Test between India and South Africa in Johannesburg in 2018. India were trying to stay alive in the series, the pitch was cracking, there was drama over whether it was fit to continue, and it's still one of my favourite Test matches.
When I think about India versus South Africa, India versus Australia or India versus England, I don't worry much because those rivalries will always have an audience. But what happens when we're talking about Sri Lanka versus West Indies, or Pakistan versus Zimbabwe? Isn't that where the real challenge lies when we're talking about saving Test cricket? India vs South Africa in 2018 at Johannesburg (BCCI Photo) T20 cricket has created a financial upside that encourages youngsters to pursue the sport professionally. Do you think a similar financial incentive in Test cricket could encourage youngsters to choose that format as well? But even T20 cricket is now stretching close to four hours. Attention spans are shrinking rapidly. Even regular cricket fans don't always sit through an entire match anymore: they consume highlights and key moments instead. Are we heading towards a future where even T20 cricket gives way to T10 because people only have one or two hours to spare? We've been talking about youngsters and the way they approach the game. Today, when I look at someone like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at just 15 years of age, he's everywhere. What do you make of this kind of stardom at just 15?
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