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JOHANNESBURG. — South Africa batsman AB de Villiers has ruled himself out of the team’s three-Test cricket series in New Zealand in March, but insists he is not retiring from the longest format of the game.

De Villiers has recovered from an elbow injury which kept him out of the recent home test series wins over New Zealand and Sri Lanka, as well as the away victory in Australia in November.

He has handed over test captaincy to Faf du Plessis and admits that playing at the 2019 50-over World Cup in England and Wales remains his career priority.

“I’ve made (myself) unavailable for the Tests in New Zealand,” de Villiers told reporters yesterday. “I’m not there yet. I need a bit of time just to settle things in my head. For me the goal is the 2019 World Cup — I want to lift that trophy.”

But with an away Test series in England to come in July and August, as well as high-profile home series in the next South African summer against India and Australia, de Villiers said he would make a test return at some stage.

“I’m not retiring out of any format, that’s for sure. I am not prepared to do that,” he told South Africa’s Radio 702.

De Villiers, who turns 33 next month, has played 106 tests averaging 50.46 but feels the need to manage his workload across all three formats of the game. — AFP.