RCB batsman AB de Villiers showed some form during the opening match of the IPL 2021 between Bangalore and Mumbai Indians where he played a match-winning knock.
Struggling at 106/5 while chasing 160, ABD took charge of the situation in his hands and scored 48 off just 27 deliveries. RCB eventually won the match by 2 wickets.
There have been talks about the right-handed batsman’s return to the South African setup for the upcoming World T20 scheduled to take place in India later this year. Now coach Mark Boucher in an online press conference has talked about the progress of having ABD back in the side.
"I chatted to him before he went over to the [Indian Premier League]. The conversation is still very open. AB being the person he is, he wanted to perform very well at the IPL to prove to himself and everyone else that he's still a key figure in world cricket and can dominate at that level. I said to him, 'You go do your thing and I'll give you a shout towards the end of the IPL and see where you are,” Boucher said.
AB last played a T20I match for South Africa against Bangladesh in 2017 while hung his boots from the international cricket in 2018. "After 114 Tests, 228 ODIs, 78 T20Is. It is time for others to take over,” he said.
Earlier, ABD had also offered to come out of retirement and play the 2019 World Cup for South Africa but didn’t really workout. According to an ESPNcricinfo report, de Villiers had approached Faf du Plessis and other members of the board expressing his desire to represent the country in the mega tournament.
Though, the South Africa team management rejected the offer. "The decision was based on principle; we had to be fair to the team, the selection panel, our franchise system and players," Cricket South Africa's selection panel convener, Linda Zondi said in an official statement.