De Villiers unavailable for Tests for most of 2017

JOHANNESBURG: AB De Villiers has ruled himself out of South Africa’s four-Test series in England in July-August and the two-match home series against Bangladesh in September-October, and is targeting a return to the longest format in home matches against India and Australia.

De Villiers, who last played in whites in January 2016, stressed that he cannot commit to anything further than March 2018 at this stage but insisted the 2019 World Cup is still in his sights.

“I needed a bit of time away from the game and I need some more,” de Villiers said at Centurion, where South Africa have begun preparing for the three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka.

“Therefore I made myself unavailable for the New Zealand series, but to add to that is also the England series and the Bangladesh series after that. I am hoping to make a comeback with the Titans towards the end of the year in preparation for the series against India and against Australia. That’s the plan. I am not committing to it but I am hoping to make a comeback there in Test cricket.

“My dream plan is to come back for those eight Test matches and that’s all I can say for now. My focus is on the 2019 World Cup but if I feel physically incapable of making it after those two Test series, I will call it a day then. I’ll make that call once we get there. I can’t decide now how I am going to feel in 12 months.”

De Villiers admitted the decision to sit out of most of 2017’s Tests was “not easy”, but that his own priorities have shifted and left him with no choice. “I’m just not ready, that’s the best way I can put it. Priorities have changed over the years, family has changed, my roles in the team have changed over the years,” he said.

“Playing three different formats, with the schedule the way it is, all of a sudden felt like the world is on top of my shoulders, and that’s when I felt like I need to start prioritising what I want to achieve in my career, where I want to go and what I feel motivated about. There are a lot of things that have played a role in this decision but I wouldn’t like to think it’s the end.

“I would still like to make a comeback and finish on a high, somehow have a say in us getting that No 1 ranking, which we deserve over the last few months with the way we have played. It’s definitely not the end of the story. I do still have goals and that’s why I didn’t want to make any silly statements about retiring out of Test cricket or anything like that.”

Given the amount of time de Villiers will spend out of the side, he knows he will have fight for his place.