This week’s news that AB de Villiers was, in fact, calling time on his career a year away from the 2019 World Cup would have come as a surprise to many South African households, and certainly to one abode in the United Kingdom.

When Rilee Rossouw left these shores, financial security was one of the factors suggested for his decision to turn his back on South African cricket.

The other reason was an uncertainty over his place in the Proteas middle-order, given the fact that two of those slots were taken by skipper Faf du Plessis and one Mr De Villiers.

But you do have to wonder if he would have stuck around if, back in January 2017, he knew that De Villiers would retire the number 17 jumper just a year away from the World Cup.

In the same vein, you must ask if Kyle Abbott would have walked away if he knew that Morné Morkel would be sitting on the sidelines with his boy, by the time the sun shines in the UK next year.

Or another young buck will take the next 12 months by storm, and show Ottis Gibson that the fire which singes out an old Protea flower also brings forth a new bloom.

And if they manage to do that, those who jumped off the train before the final destination might again be gently tapped on the shoulder by that wonderfully useless old friend, Mr Hindsight.