AB de Villiers, the batting legend, played in the IPL for 14 years and 11 of those with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. They came close to winning the IPL twice during that time. After the 2021 season, he retired and his dream of winning the trophy remained unfulfilled.
A Letter to the RCB Family 💌
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) June 11, 2025
Written on 4 June 2025
En-route from Ahmedabad to Johannesburg, SA ✈️ #RCB pic.twitter.com/UmtVh3FxDD
Fast forward four years and that dream finally came true. He watched as RCB beat Punjab Kings in the 2025 final and his good friend Virat Kohli got emotional on the field. They hugged and lifted the trophy together.
Read Also:- Most Run Scorers in IPL 2025
Now at 41, De Villiers has written a heartfelt letter to his ‘RCB Family’ reminiscing about his time as a player and expressing his love for the team and its fans. In the letter he talks about the atmosphere at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Despite being a neutral venue, it felt like home with fans turning up in RCB colours.
He talks about the journey of ups and downs and how it all came together for this moment. Seeing the young players shine on the big stage filled him with pride.
He thanks the management, coaching staff and fans for letting him be part of this legacy, saying even though he’s not playing, a part of his heart will always be with the team. For him, watching the team win the trophy has been one of the greatest joys of his life.
