Proteas’ win may settle AB matter

THERE are not too many international batsmen who have their names chanted by thousands of cricket fans at Indian venues.

In fact, there are also not many sub-continent batsmen who are afforded the same outpouring of adulation.

Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli are two recent Indian stars who come to mind.

But when AB de Villiers walks to the crease, be it in Bangalore, New Delhi or Kolkata, the passionate chorus of ABD, ABD, ABD is deafening and tells a blatantly obvious story.

They love the man in India. Bizarrely, perhaps even more than we do in South Africa.

It is a strange phenomenon that we shoot our heroes down in flames, but not a new one to South African sport.

De Villiers’s perceived indecision about what his workload should be for South African cricket has fans’ views split perfectly down the middle.

It has been that way since the superstar laid out plans for a season or so that omitted test series in New Zealand and England, but did include the IPL and recent Champions Trophy, and also the white-ball rubbers of the current series in England.

Some South African fans believe De Villiers can do no wrong and that he deserves the right to be selective, bearing in mind his legendary service to the Proteas.

Others say when players start to pick and choose they become bigger than the game.

There is merit in both arguments, but the part that does frustrate is the way it has been managed.

Insiders and former captain Graeme Smith have suggested De Villiers was ready to walk away from test cricket last season due to a lengthy elbow injury.

But word has it Cricket SA wanted him to stay on despite him worrying about the longevity of his career in limited overs.

Better planning and consultation between the parties may have seen them engineer a transparent exit from test cricket.

All we know now is that De Villiers will make an announcement regarding his future next month.

People may have lost interest by then if the series in England goes the Proteas’ way.