India’s decision to include Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the T20 squad has received mixed reactions. The veteran batters have not played in a T20I since the 2022 World Cup, and with young players vying for a spot, concerns have been raised about their relevance in the team. However, South African batting legend AB de Villiers has shown his support for the Indian superstars.
Speaking at the Betway SA20 opener between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings, De Villiers said, “I’m delighted for Virat and Rohit. Their inclusion in the team for the Afghanistan series doesn’t surprise me because you want your best team to win a World Cup. I understand the criticism due to the potential exclusion of young players.”
Drawing from his own experience, De Villiers, who retired from international cricket in 2018, added, “I found myself in a similar position towards the end of my career, but it didn’t work out for me. I’m glad it’s working out for Virat and Rohit.”
Having played alongside Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore for a decade, De Villiers commended Kohli’s dedication to the game, saying, “Cricket runs through Virat’s veins, and that’s probably what keeps him going. Cricket has always been his passion. He has a great balance in life with his family.”
Regarding the recent controversy around the Newlands pitch in Cape Town, which was deemed unsatisfactory by the ICC after the shortest-ever Test match between India and South Africa, De Villiers had a different perspective. He stated, “The Newlands pitch appeared normal to me. It is known for being lively on the first day. If you can overcome that challenge, it becomes easier to bat.”
De Villiers attributed the shortcomings of both teams to poor planning and execution, saying, “At Newlands, you should always play positive cricket like Aiden Markram did when he scored a century. I believe both teams had incorrect game plans. While it was a difficult and fast pitch, they could have performed better in the first innings.”
As for his future involvement with Royal Challengers Bangalore, there have been calls for De Villiers to return as a coach or mentor. However, he clarified, “Nobody from RCB has contacted me. If I’m asked to spend a day or two with the team, as mentioned by Virat Kohli during the World Cup, I would go as a friend, not as a coach or mentor. I would love to share my knowledge and experience.”
With all six teams in the SA 20 owned by IPL franchises, De Villiers expressed hope that his former team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, would also participate in the league in the future, saying, “It’s disappointing that RCB is not part of SA20, but maybe they will join one day.”
India’s plans to bring back Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli into the T20 team has received mixed reactions. The veteran batters have not played in a T20I since the 2022 World Cup, and with young players pushing for a spot, questions have been raised about their relevance in the team. However, South Africa’s AB de Villiers has backed the Indian superstars, stating that their inclusion doesn’t come as a surprise as the team wants its best players to win a World Cup. De Villiers also drew a parallel with his own career and expressed his happiness for Kohli and Sharma. He praised Kohli’s commitment to the game and mentioned that cricket has always been his passion. De Villiers also commented on the Newlands pitch, stating that it looked normal to him and blamed poor planning and execution by both teams for the short duration of the Test match. The article also mentions De Villiers’ potential return to the Royal Challengers Bangalore as a coach or mentor, but he clarified that nobody from the team has contacted him yet. Finally, De Villiers expressed his hope that RCB will be part of the SA 20 in the future.
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