Cheerleader de Villiers stays chirpy in South Africa's adversity

Twenty-eight tweets. More than the batting average of half the South Africa top six on this tour.

Almost 4,000 characters. Greater than the total number of career runs of three of the current top four.

As much as South Africa should not be bogged down by looking at what they don't have, AB de Villiers' social media presence has served as a constant reminder of what could have been.

Currently on a sabbatical from the longest format, and one that seems certain to end in retirement when a new coach is announced before the home summer, de Villiers has spent this series as a cheerleader, spurring his mates on - a clown-doctor of sorts, trying to make them smile even though their problems need more than jokes to fix, and a confused elite sportsman, whose tone carries a hint of conflict between country and commercial obligations that compete for space on his timeline, and in his life.

De Villiers' first tweet came before 5am on the opening morning of the series. Perhaps that's the time he would wake up when he used to play Test cricket, when the butterflies he described as active even as his career matured to the point where they should have been stilled, fluttered. Or perhaps he was up early tending to his young son, who has just turned two, and whose presence in his life helped prompt a rethink of his own priorities. Either way, de Villiers was excited and expectant.

The day has arrived! Come on the boys, the whole of SA is right behind u guys. Enjoy it out there @deanelgar & co. #ProteaFire @OfficialCSA

— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) July 6, 2017

Like many fans, he was engaged throughout the first hour. After Vernon Philander had dismissed the England openers, de Villiers praised the seamer for being "on a different level", and was impressed with the bowlers "hunting together". But before the day was up, Joe Root had scored a hundred and de Villiers conceded England had won it. "Credit to Joe Root & Eng for a good fightback! Still in it, we can roll them tomorrow with the new ball." The next day England added 101 runs before lunch to post 458.

De Villiers reserved comment until the end of the second day when he responded to a message from a well-known comedian, Joey Rasdien. "We're gonna win this Test. The boys will fight all the way," de Villiers said. South Africa were 214 for 5.

A silent third day caused de Villiers to go into overdrive on the fourth. First he called the comeback from the South African bowlers, especially Morne Morkel and Keshav Maharaj, "special". South Africa took 9 for 114 to set themselves a target of 330. De Villiers would have preferred "under 300", but decided it was "not impossible" for South Africa to successfully chase it down. He wanted Heino Kuhn and Dean Elgar, who "both know how to score big", to get in and, "they'll get us in a position to pull it off".

Instead, the pair were out inside 10 overs, both for single figures, and South Africa were shot out for 119. De Villiers was gutted but somehow saw valiance in what most, including Faf du Plessis, assessed as a limp and error-filled performance:

Well played England. 2nd half of the day didn't work out, but the boys still fought like champions! We'll be back next Test. #ProteaFire

— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) July 9, 2017

Exactly 14 minutes later he had moved on, to reality television.

Between the first and second Test de Villiers retweeted condolences Cricket SA sent out to Russell Domingo following the passing of his mother and then fulfilled a sponsor obligation to advertise a luxury wrist-watch. Then it was back to business.

He acknowledged Hashim Amla's achievement of 8,000 Test runs, which came up 15 minutes into the Trent Bridge Test. South Africa were already one-down. Ordinarily de Villiers may have been padded up to bat next. Instead, South Africa had a middle-order wobble and lost four for 56 in the evening session. "Too many wickets", according to de Villiers. He backed Vernon Philander and Chris Morris to take the score over 300 and they did in a 74-run "match-changing partnership", as de Villiers put it. "This is what this team is all about."

The second day underlined that resilience. South Africa bowled England out for 205 and were 75 for 1 by the close. "What a day for SA Cricket," de Villiers purred.

When the victory was wrapped up, he became nostalgic and then reminiscent. He described South Africa's performance as "beautiful cricket", and said there was "nothing better than a Test victory". He would know. He sounded like he wanted to know again.

A 10-day break followed in which de Villiers' second child was born, the reason he would probably have missed some part of this series even if he had not opted out of it entirely. And then on the eve of the third Test, de Villiers posted a photo inviting sports-loving South Africans to light up some of Graeme Smith's new product - braai-wood - and enjoy some grilled meat before the game. Another endorsement and this one close to cricket, though Smith is understood to have raised an eyebrow at de Villiers' social media engagements and, as he said on commentary, "lack of clarity over his future".

For the time being, his only say is on the current series and before the second day of the third Third Test began, with England on 171 for 4, de Villiers was at it again. "Early wickets and we're right in it" he said. South Africa's first scalp came at drinks and England were batting until just before tea.

By the time de Villiers tweeted again, South Africa were in a mess at 61 for 7. Their top-order had failed again; the No.4 spot still a problem. Dropping JP Duminy seemed a no-brainer but there were now questions over Quinton de Kock's promotion. The No.4 spot used to belong to de Villiers but, instead, he could only offer support from the sidelines. "A tough day at the Oval," he posted, "no doubt the guys will keep fighting."

South Africa were bowled out for 175 and then conceded 313 in England's second innings. They were set an improbable 492 to win, or four sessions of blocking to save the game. De Villiers thought it was possible. "We can still do it if we don't lose more than 4 today. Keep fighting boys, we've done this before! @tbavuma10 & @deanelgar there at the end."

His enthusiasm was well-founded, except that when the 'we' had done it before, the 'we' included him. In Adelaide in 2012, in Johannesburg in 2013, even in Colombo in 2014, de Villiers was there. This time, they'd need someone else and they didn't have it.

With the chance to win the series gone, South Africa had to prepare for a must-win match at Old Trafford. In that time, de Villiers spent some time at the University of Pretoria Academy and wore his expensive watch again before wishing Faf du Plessis and "the boys" well. As the final Test got underway, de Villiers had just completed a satisfactory trip to a dental spa. "Great team, great service," he posted, without any intended irony.

Old Trafford has so far been an action replay of The Oval but both the team and de Villiers have stayed positive. On the first day, he encouraged the bowlers to get a "good start" on the second morning and the batsmen to show some "grit" to put the team in a "great position". Forty minutes after lunch on the third day, with England three down, he figured the right result was still in South Africa's grasp. "Proteas fighting! Love it. Keep going lads. Hoping for a target under 300."

England's lead swelled to 360 by the time rain stopped play. South Africa's hopes of saving the series have shrunk and they will return home with questions about the quality of the players the domestic system is producing. They will also return home with uncertainty hanging over them.

It is all but confirmed that Ottis Gibson will take over from Russell Domingo but what that means for de Villiers is not known. He has previously said the decision over the coaching position will influence his future and has made it plain he wanted Domingo to continue in the role.

It seems as though de Villiers still cares about the South African team and it is obvious that they still need a player of his proven talents. But it is increasingly hard to see how he would manage to fit Test cricket into his life, given his other commitments. His absence in England has become glaring, though, everywhere besides social media.