AB de Villiers has featured in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs and 78 T20Is for South Africa.

Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has denied reports that the country’s cricket board had approached him to lead the national side. In a tweet on Wednesday, the 36-year-old termed the development as false and expressed anguish over the rumours.

“Reports suggesting Cricket SA have asked me to lead the Proteas are just not true. It’s hard to know what to believe these days. Crazy times. Stay safe everyone,” De Villiers tweeted.

Reports suggesting Cricket SA have asked me to lead the Proteas are just not true. It’s hard to know what to believe these days. Crazy times. Stay safe everyone.

— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) April 29, 2020

Meanwhile, Cricket South Africa director and former captain Graeme Smith also responded to the development and called it nothing but “fake news”.

Sorry this is absolute #FakeNews https://t.co/zaasJprRGf

— Graeme Smith (@GraemeSmith49) April 29, 2020

A report regarding South Africa team management approaching De Villiers to lead the side had surfaced in the afternoon. The report mentioned about the remarks the former cricketer had made on Star Sports show “Cricket Connected”.

“The desire is there from my side to play for South Africa and have been asked by Cricket South Africa to lead the Proteas again,” De Villiers was quoted as saying in the report.

De Villiers has featured in 114 Tests, 228 ODIs and 78 T20Is for South Africa. After announcing retirement from international cricket, the swashbuckling batsman has been playing in T20 leagues across the globe.