South African batsman AB de Villiers said he is open to a return to international cricket at this year’s Twenty20 World Cup in India and will discuss his future with national coach Mark Boucher during the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The 37-year-old retired from international cricket in 2018 but said in April last year he would consider a comeback at the T20 World Cup if it was delayed by a year to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re lined up to have a chat sometime during the IPL. But yes, we’ve been talking about it already,” De Villiers told reporters after scoring 76 for Royal Challengers Bangalore in Sunday’s 38-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders.
“Last year, he (Boucher) asked me if I would be interested. I said, ‘absolutely’.
And come the end of the IPL, we’ll have a look at where we’re at with regards to my form and my fitness.”Also, the situation with his team — he’s got to look at his guys who have been performing well … If there’s no space for me so be it. If I can slot in there, it’ll be fantastic if all those things fall in place.”
De Villiers has played 78 T20 games for South Africa scoring 1,672 runs at an average of 26.12 and strike rate of 135.16
De Villiers is on a different level, South Africa you need this man: Yohan Blake
A cricket enthusiast, Jamaica’s star sprinter Yohan Blake wants AB de Villiers to come out of international retirement and represent the South African national team in its upcoming assignments, including the T20 World Cup.
De Villiers himself is keen to play the T20 World Cup in India later this year, and is supposed to discuss the subject with national team head coach Mark Boucher towards the end of the IPL.
“Wow de Villiers is on a different level. South Africa come on you need this man,” Blake tweeted after the versatile South African’s breathtaking innings in the IPL in Chennai on Sunday.
Olympic silver medallist Blake, who is also the youngest 100m world champion, had earlier expressed his desire to play for Royal Challengers Bangalore because of Virat Kohli and de Villiers’ presence in the side.
