AB de Villiers apologises to Virat Kohli & Anushka Sharma, urges privacy

PTC News Desk: Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has expressed regret to Virat Kohli and his family following an inadvertent disclosure made on his YouTube channel. De Villiers initially mentioned during a live session that Kohli and Anushka Sharma were expecting their second child, but he later retracted the statement. He has since urged fans to respect their privacy.

The apology from de Villiers comes after he unintentionally shared personal information about Kohli and Anushka Sharma's family plans during a discussion on his YouTube channel. His remarks surfaced amidst widespread speculation surrounding Kohli's absence from the Indian cricket team during a crucial Test series against England.

During a recent live session on YouTube, de Villiers addressed the issue, emphasizing the importance of privacy for Kohli and his family. "My friend Virat Kohli is currently unavailable, and I appeal to everyone to grant him the privacy he deserves. Family should always come first. None of us is aware of the exact situation, and I urge everyone to respect that. I regret the error in my previous show, and I apologize to the Kohli family," de Villiers stated.

Expressing remorse for the unintended disclosure, de Villiers urged fans to exercise restraint and refrain from intruding into the personal lives of cricketers. "It was inappropriate. I shared unverified information, and for that, I am sorry. I implore everyone to respect his family's privacy and his personal time. Hopefully, we will soon see Virat back in action, happy, and scoring runs as he always does," he added.

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De Villiers found himself in a predicament after divulging details of his private conversation with Kohli, a decision that attracted widespread attention. "All I know is that he is doing fine. He is taking some time off with his family, which is why he's missing the first two Test matches. I won't divulge any further details. I can't wait to see him return. He's doing well, and that's what matters," de Villiers had initially revealed on his YouTube channel.

However, de Villiers later retracted his statement and clarified that the information shared was inaccurate. In an interview with Dainik Bhaskar, he acknowledged the error and emphasized the importance of family. "Family always takes precedence, as I mentioned on my YouTube show. However, I made a significant mistake by sharing false information. Nobody knows the real situation," de Villiers admitted.

He concluded by extending his best wishes to Kohli, urging fans to support him during his absence from cricket. "We should all wish him well, regardless of the reason for his break. I sincerely hope he returns stronger, healthier, and rejuvenated," de Villiers remarked.

Kohli was notably absent from the Indian team's squad announcement for the last three Test matches against England.

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(Inputs from agencies)