NEW DELHI: Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers says money never motivated him during his illustrious career, insisting his only focus was improving as a cricketer and competing against the best in the world.

Speaking on The Times of India’s “Bombay Sports Exchange” podcast, the 41-year-old reflected on how the financial boom in T20 cricket has changed the aspirations of young players, while explaining why his own journey was never driven by lucrative contracts or commercial success.

Asked whether greater financial incentives in Test cricket could encourage youngsters to pursue the longest format, de Villiers admitted that money inevitably draws attention but said it should never be the primary motivation for an aspiring athlete.

“When I was growing up, my dream was simply to play for my country in front of packed crowds. It had nothing to do with money,” de Villiers said.

He believes the challenge for Test cricket lies in creating excitement around the format rather than simply increasing player earnings.

“If nobody is watching Test cricket, then where is the excitement? If there’s no buzz around it, no ultimate trophy that’s fiercely contested and celebrated, then why should youngsters dream about becoming Test cricketers?” he said.

While acknowledging the Indian Premier League’s remarkable commercial growth, de Villiers revealed he barely paid attention to the financial side of the tournament during his playing days.

“I’ll probably give you a very boring answer. Throughout my entire career, I never thought about money, politics or any of that,” he said.

“My entire focus was simply on hitting a cricket ball every single day. That’s all I thought about.”

The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru star admitted that seeing his bank balance increase was a pleasant surprise, but never something that influenced his decisions.

“I’d occasionally look at my bank account and think, ‘Wow, that’s nice. That’s a bonus.’ Then I’d ask, ‘What do we do now? Invest it? Fine.’ And after that, it was straight back to cricket. How can I become better? How can I win games? That’s all that mattered.”

Looking back after retirement, de Villiers says he now appreciates the scale of cricket’s financial growth far more than he did as a player.

“It’s incredible to see how much the IPL has grown over the years. It’s breathtaking,” he said. “I was happy for whoever had built it.”

De Villiers also credited his upbringing for shaping his attitude towards wealth, saying he was raised to value hard work and gratitude over financial success.

“I was brought up in a way where money never really moved the needle for me,” he said. “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 great said his retirement decision itself was proof that money never dictated his career.

“The minute I felt that desire leaving me, that’s when I retired. That proves my point—I never played for money,” he said.

“The money was a wonderful bonus, but it was never my motivation.”

Despite believing he was still capable of performing at the highest level, de Villiers realised the competitive drive that had fuelled him for nearly two decades had faded.

“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 realised I’d rather spend time with my family and discover new passions and new challenges in life.”