New Delhi: Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers Saying that money has never motivated him during his illustrious career, he insisted that his only focus was to improve as a cricketer and compete with the best in the world.Speaking on The Times of India’s Mumbai Sports Exchange podcast, the 41-year-old reflected on how T20 cricket’s economic boom has changed the aspirations of young players, while explaining why his own journey has never been driven by lucrative contracts or commercial success. Asked whether offering greater financial incentives in Test cricket could encourage youngsters to pursue the longest format of the game, de Villiers acknowledged that money will inevitably attract attention but said it should never be the main motivation for aspiring players.“Growing up, my dream was to play for my country in front of a big crowd. It had nothing to do with money,” de Villiers said.He believes the challenge in Test cricket is to create excitement around the format, rather than just increasing players’ earnings.“If no one is watching Test cricket, then where is the excitement? If there is no hustle and bustle around it, no ultimate trophy that is fiercely fought for and celebrated, then why should young people dream of becoming Test cricketers?” he said.while acknowledging indian premier leagueDespite the significant commercial growth, de Villiers revealed that he paid little attention to the financial aspects of the game during his playing days.“I’ll probably give you a very boring answer. In my entire career, I’ve never thought about money or politics or anything else,” he said.“My whole focus is playing cricket every day. That’s all I think about.”The former Royal Challengers Bangalore star admitted that it was a surprise to see his bank balance increase but it never influenced his decision.“I’ll occasionally look at my bank account and think, ‘Wow, that’s great. That’s a bonus.'” And then I’ll ask, “What do we do now?” Invest in it? All right. After that, it was straight back to cricket. How can I get better? How can I win the game? That’s what matters most. “Looking back on his time in retirement, de Villiers said he now appreciates the scale of cricket’s economic growth far more than he did as a player.“It’s incredible to see how many intense pulsed light It has been growing over the years. It’s really breathtaking,” he said. “I’m happy for the people who built it.”De Villiers also credits his upbringing with shaping his attitude toward wealth, saying he was raised to value hard work and gratitude over financial success.“Money never really had any impact on me growing up,” he said. “From a young age, I was taught that money doesn’t grow on trees. You appreciate your blessings. You respect others.”The South African great said his decision to retire was in itself proof that money never defined his career.“The moment I felt that desire leave me, I retired. It proved my point – I never played for the money,” he said.“The money was a great bonus, but it was never my motivation.”While de Villiers believes he still has the ability to perform at the highest level, he realizes that the competitive drive that motivated him for nearly two decades has faded.“So I asked myself a simple question: ‘What am I doing here? Am I still playing for money?’ The answer is obviously no,” he said.“It was then that I realized I would rather spend time with my family and discover new passions and new challenges in life.”
