RETIREMENT LOOMING FOR OLDIES, WARNS FAF

SOUTH Africans should ready themselves for multiple retirements after the 2019 World Cup.

That is according to Faf du Plessis in an interview with the South African edition of this month’s issue of GQ.

“We have discussed our long-term goals and the aim is to get back to being the No 1 test team in the world‚” the magazine quotes Du Plessis as saying.

“We also want to win the test championship and reach the final of next year’s T20 World Cup because once you reach a final it’s anyone’s game.

“And a number of the senior players and I are aiming to win the 2019 World Cup to end our international careers in style.”

He does not say which players might retire then‚ but of the squad of 15 that will play in the Champions Trophy in England next month only a third – Kagiso Rabada‚ Andile Phehlukwayo‚ David Miller and Quinton de Kock – are likely to be under the age of 30 at the time of the 2019 World Cup.

Du Plessis offered a conflicted take on the decision of his longtime friend‚ AB de Villiers‚ to withdraw from the test series against New Zealand‚ England and Bangladesh this year.

“I can’t sit and say he should be playing test cricket because the guy has been doing it for 12 years and 106 test matches‚” Du Plessis was quoted as saying.

“It translates to so much time away from home and people have to understand there is a human side of the decision to consider.

“However‚ from a cricket point of view I would obviously be the first to say that AB needs to play tests for South Africa because he is one of the best batsmen in the world.

“For him it’s about spending more time at home and getting to the 2019 World Cup.

“He wants to ensure he remains mentally fresh and his body is still going strong.

“I’m in a different boat. I see myself heading towards the 2019 World Cup playing all formats of the game and then calling time on my career.

“I fully respect AB’s decision, but I don’t agree with it.”