In a revelation that sheds light on the unpredictability of cricketing fortunes, AB de Villiers, considered one of the greatest batters of the modern era, disclosed his unexpected journey from being snubbed by the Delhi Daredevils to becoming a stalwart for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

Before achieving stardom with RCB, the South African batting maestro endured three lukewarm seasons with the Delhi franchise, now known as Delhi Capitals. Despite the anticipation of being retained, de Villiers, alongside explosive Australian opener David Warner in a team meeting, received the surprising news that he was released before the 2011 auction.

Recounting the pivotal incident on his YouTube channel, ‘AB de Villiers 360,’ the former South African skipper shared,

“When I played in the 2010 season, I got called into the office and was told ‘you are going to get retained, young AB de Villiers’.

However, the assurance proved false, leaving de Villiers bewildered in the following weeks when he realized he had been released. Reflecting on the communication at that time, he noted,

“So the communication wasn’t great back in the day, that must be different these days but it’s not a nice feeling.”

The subsequent uncertainty and nervousness before the auction were palpable for the 39-year-old cricketer.

“You’re unsure of your career, at the time in 2010 I think I only played five games in that IPL season, so a lot of doubts crept up in my mind,” he confessed.

Despite the setback, de Villiers had a standout international season, and his fortunes took a turn when he was picked up by RCB in the auction.

“But I did have a very good international season. I kept playing good cricket, and luckily for me, the auction happened, and I got picked up by RCB, and it changed my life forever, so great memories with regards to that,” he reminisced.

The news of his selection by RCB, received through Twitter, and a subsequent call from Virat Kohli marked the beginning of an iconic partnership that mesmerized Indian fans for 11 seasons.

Offering words of encouragement to released players, de Villiers emphasized that it’s not the “end of the road.” He urged them to keep a close eye on the auction and, if not picked up, view it as an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and work even harder. In sharing his own remarkable journey, AB de Villiers encapsulates the resilience and unpredictability that defines a cricketer’s path to success.