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After all the hype and high hopes, Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Tuesday revealed legendary batsman AB de Villiers has decided not to come out of international retirement.
Over the last few months, speculation had been growing over AB de Villiers’ possible return to the South African team for the 2021 T20 World Cup in India later in the year. Last month, South Africa head coach Mark Boucher also hinted that AB de Villiers could make a comeback to the national side.
However, releasing a statement after announcing the squad for the West Indies tour, CSA confirmed:
“Discussions with AB de Villiers have concluded with the batsman deciding once and for all, that his retirement will remain final.”
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AB de Villiers stunned world cricket when he announced his retirement from international cricket in 2018 citing fatigue.
Why AB de Villiers should reconsider his decision
While one can understand that AB de Villiers would have his own rationale for sticking to his retirement decision, here are three reasons why we feel the South African legend should play the T20 World Cup.
#1 He is still on top of his game
It is incredible that, despite having retired from international cricket a few seasons ago, AB de Villiers still manages to bring out his A game in the IPL. In the last two editions of the marquee Indian T20 league, he has batted as if he has never been away from the game.
In IPL 2020, he smashed 454 runs in 15 games at an excellent strike rate of 158.74 with five fifties. In the seven matches that AB de Villiers featured in this season, the South African hammered 207 runs with two fifties at an even better strike rate of 164.28.
AB de Villiers’ consistency for RCB over the last few seasons has been peerless. He has delivered the goods most times the team has needed him, with some high-quality knocks. Often when a player retires from international cricket, it is because he is past his prime.
That definitely isn’t the case with AB de Villiers. At 37, his sensational skills with the bat only seem to be getting better. He is still very much a match-winner.
#2 AB de Villiers’ dominating presence intimidates opponents
Consistency is one aspect of AB de Villiers’ game. It is the audacious manner in which he has scored runs for RCB over the last few seasons that has stood out.
The South African cricketer’s runs have mostly come with his team’s back to the walls. On more than one occasion, he has single-handedly pulled RCB out of dire straits and lifted them to victory.
Last season, he hit three consecutive sixes off Rajasthan Royals (RR) pacer Jaydev Unadkat to turn the match on its head, that too on a tough Sharjah surface, where even Virat Kohli struggled, AB de Villiers blasted a 33-ball 73 not out. Kohli later described the performance as a superhuman effort.
IPL 2021 saw AB de Villiers carry on his rich vein of form. He began the T20 league with a match-winning 48 against Mumbai Indians and hammered blistering 70s against KKR and Delhi Capitals (DC).
On most occasions, AB de Villiers has come in with the opposition on top but has successfully turned the tide. The Proteas genius knows exactly when to switch gears, which makes him a daunting presence for the opposition.
#3 South Africa need his experience in the mega event
If one looks at the T20I squad announced for the tour of West Indies and Ireland, South Africa are clearly lacking match-winners. The Proteas have been in a rebuilding phase across all three formats of the game for a while, and are struggling to regain old glory.
In the current T20I squad, wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock and pace bowler Kagiso Rabada are the only two players who can be considered genuine match-winners. Most of the others, including skipper Temba Bavuma, lack consistency and the special skill sets required to succeed in the T20 format.
It is no surprise that South Africa have been struggling rather badly in the shorter formats recently. To put it succinctly, they lack a talismanic cricketer like AB de Villiers, whose mere presence in the middle can make a difference to the confidence of the side.
What AB de Villiers is doing for RCB is exactly what South Africa are missing. A batsman with such incredible talent that he can swing games on his own with the willow. The Proteas have never won an ICC tournament. If ABD could step out of retirement one final time and give it a try, South Africa’s chances of capturing the elusive world title will definitely get a boost.
As of now, this is only wishful thinking, unless there is one final twist in the ABD retirement tale.
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