Quit captaincy, AB: Biff

Graeme Smith has claimed AB de Villiers was talked out of Test retirement by Cricket SA and has advised him to give up his ODI captaincy in the interests of his performance at the 2019 World Cup.

"The past year to 18 months has seen AB criticised for 'picking and choosing' his tours and I don't feel that the PR around the issue has been handled at all well by those around him," Smith wrote in The Independent on Monday.

"It's my belief that AB was looking to walk away from the Test game last year at some point but has been encouraged to carry on by Cricket SA."

Smith railed at disappointment in South Africa and England at De Villiers' decision not to play in the Test series against New Zealand, England and Bangladesh this year.

"What has AB de Villiers got to prove to anyone?" Smith wrote.

"He's a star and those players are often expected to be available all the time, no matter what the consequences might be personally.

"My advice to him would be to step away from the captaincy and concentrate his energy [on] maintaining his levels in white-ball cricket for the next two years.

 "Those criticising AB, and this decision in particular, need to ask themselves whether they would rather he played in the upcoming series and walked away from international cricket in a year, or have the opportunity to see him go on and play for his country at another big tournament."

Smith shouldn't be surprised to hear that South Africans have asked themselves exactly that.

But, with De Villiers having passed 50 only twice in nine innings on the tour of England, and presided over six losses in those nine games, Smith might be surprised at the answer.

- TimesLIVE