Key points
- AB de Villiers hails emotional WTC triumph
- Calls for fairer Test scheduling and structure
- Suggests four-year cycle for balanced competition
- Victory reignites South Africa’s red-ball cricket passion
ISLAMABAD: Former South African captain AB de Villiers has described the nation’s historic ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title as a deeply emotional moment, calling it a significant milestone. However, he emphasised the need for more consistent success and improvements in the Test cricket structure.
Speaking on a British media podcast, De Villiers acknowledged South Africa’s long-standing disappointments in global tournaments, especially World Cups. He said the WTC victory should inspire belief in a new era for South African cricket.
“We’ve had heartbreaking ends to many campaigns, but now it’s time to believe we can succeed more regularly,” he remarked.
Despite the magnitude of the achievement, De Villiers highlighted concerns about South Africa’s sparse Test calendar, which makes it difficult to build momentum. The victory at Lord’s, where South Africa defeated defending champions Australia by five wickets, will be remembered for years, he said.
Special match
“That moment won’t be forgotten. It was massive — a truly special match for every South African,” De Villiers noted.
He called on cricket’s authorities to make the WTC format fairer. While acknowledging improvements in the upcoming cycle, he stressed more needs to be done to level the playing field.
South Africa reached the final after playing just 12 Tests, while England played 22. Qualification was based on percentage rather than total points.
De Villiers suggested a four-year championship cycle as a potential solution, similar to the structure in one-day internationals.
Balanced schedule
“That way, you feel like you’ve competed against all the top nations. It would allow more time to develop a balanced schedule,” he said.
He believes the win has reignited public interest in red-ball cricket in South Africa, despite the long gap before their next Test series. “This won’t be forgotten. The Proteas have stirred emotions, and fans will wait eagerly for their next match,” he added.
South Africa’s WTC win was their first major title since the 1998 Champions Trophy. After trailing by 74 runs in the first innings, they successfully chased a 282-run target, with Aiden Markram scoring 136 and skipper Temba Bavuma adding a crucial half-century.
