New Delhi: Former South African captain AB de Villiers he says money did not motivate him in his high-profile career, insisting that his goal was to become a professional cricketer and compete with the best players in the world.Speaking on The Times of India’s “Bombay Sports Exchange” podcast, the 41-year-old reflected on how the boom in T20 cricket has changed the aspirations of young players, as he explains why his journey has not been driven by lucrative contracts or commercial success. When asked if promoting more money in Test cricket would encourage youngsters to play for longer, de Villiers admitted that money attracts attention but said it should not be the biggest motivator for those who want to run.“When I was growing up, all I wanted was to play for my country in front of a crowd. It had nothing to do with money,” de Villiers said.He believes that the challenge in Test cricket lies in creating excitement around form rather than increasing the players’ earnings.“If no one is watching Test cricket, then where is the excitement? If there is no buzz around it, no finals that many people are competing and interested in, then why should youngsters dream of becoming Test footballers?” he said.When he agrees Indian Premier LeagueA remarkable business development, de Villiers revealed that he did not manage the financial side of the tournament during his playing days.“Maybe I will give you a very boring answer. In my whole career, I have never thought about money, politics or anything like that,” he said.“My whole aim was to hit the cricket ball every day. That’s all I thought about.”The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru star admitted that seeing his bankroll increase was exciting, but nothing influenced his decisions.“Sometimes I look at my bank account and think, ‘Wow, that’s great. That’s a bonus.’ So I asked myself, ‘What do we do now? Invest it? Good.’ And after that, it was back to cricket. How can I be better? How can I win the game? That’s all that matters. “Looking back on his retirement, de Villiers says he now appreciates the economic growth of cricket more than he did as a player.“It’s amazing to see how it turns out IPL has grown over the years. It’s amazing,” he said. “I was happy for whoever built it.”De Villiers also credited his upbringing for changing his attitude towards wealth, saying that he was brought up to value hard work and praise for financial success.He said: “I grew up in a way where money never moved the needle for me. “From a young age, I was taught that money doesn’t grow on trees. You appreciate your blessings. You respect other people.”The South African leader said his decision to retire was proof that money did not drive his career.“The moment I felt that desire leave me, that’s when I retired. This proves my point – I have never played for money,” he said.“The money was a nice bonus, but it wasn’t my motivation.”Although he believes he still has the potential to excel, de Villiers realizes that the streak that fueled him for nearly two decades is over.“So I asked myself a simple question: ‘What am I doing here? Am I still playing for money?’ The answer was obviously no,” he said.“That’s when I realized I love being with my family and finding new and challenging interests in life.”
