Jonty Rhodes reveals chilling details of Cronje's last days: 'Hansie was really disturbed about what he had done'

Former South Africa batter Jonty Rhodes has shared some riveting details of what transpired in ex-captain Hansie Cronje's life after he was found guilty in the infamous match-fixing scandal. In April of the year 2000, Cronje was revealed to have had conversations with an Indian bookie over fixing matches, and was subsequently banned from cricket for life. Cronje challenged the decision but it was turned down. Rhodes, who was then playing for South Africa, revealed that he was on good terms with Cronje but added that Hansie was embarrassed of his actions.

"For all of us, the whole match-fixing thing was a real shock to the system. We did not have an understanding of the detail of it. It was really tough. But the amazing part was… I got to spend a lot of time with Hansie after that. Even when he was banned, and I had retired from Tests, he told me 'Jonty… you can't retire. You only have one opportunity. I know what it feels like to have that taken away'. There were other players who were accused of fixing matches and they moved on like nothing had happened, but Hansie was really embarrassed about what he had done," Rhodes told Paddy Upton on his podcast 'Lessons From the World's Best'.

"The first couple of months, he had put on weight. He locked himself away. He hardly left the house. Occasionally, some of his close friends would come visit him at his house but he would never go out in public just because he was devastated. He showed real remorse. He was genuinely disturbed by what he had done. For a year, he was the unhealthiest that I had seen him. And then he got it back. He got a job with a construction equipment company. It was amazing to see how he really was getting his life back on track. I was really sad because I believed he could have been a great example to show youngsters how to turn your life around."

On June 1, 2002, Cronje died in a plane crash, He was 32. Upton added to the conversation, mentioning his earie final exchange with Cronje barely a week before the former South Africa captain passed.

"Hansie would always say to me that he's fine, he is moving on but everytime he would put the phone down, I would think, he is saying he is fine but I am not feeling it. And then one day, I accidentally dialed him up, but we had a brief chat. I would never forget him saying. His words were something like… 'I really feel I have come the full circle and I am ready to move on'. I felt it was the first time he said to me he is ready to move on. And a week later, he did move on. And I had a really earie feeling about it," said Upton.