'Did I spill the beans?' - Virat Kohli drops major hint on AB de Villiers' return to RCB

One of the finest batters to have taken the cricket field, AB de Villiers bid adieu to all forms of cricket last year and left a massive void in the cricket world. Notably, De Villiers announced retirement from international cricket in 2018 but continued to feature in T20 leagues. His last professional assignment was with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

He was associated with the franchise since 2011 and played numerous match-winning knocks in RCB colours. Meanwhile, De Villiers is also known to share a close bond with former RCB skipper Virat Kohli, who has been with the franchise since the inaugural edition of the IPL. In a video shared on RCB’s official Twitter page, Kohli revealed that he misses the Proteas star and even dropped a hint on De Villiers’ possible return.

I speak to AB de Villiers regularly: Virat Kohli

“I miss him a lot. I speak to him regularly, quite regularly. He keeps messaging me. He was in the US recently watching golf. Augusta Masters is what I heard it was called. So he told me he was there experiencing it with his friends and family,” Kohli said in the video.

Interview of the year! Catch Virat Kohli in a relaxed, honest and fun avatar, even as Mr. Nags tries to annoy him just like he’s done over the years. 😎🤙

Tell us what the best moment from this interview was for you, in the comments section. 👨‍💻#PlayBold #IPL2022 #RCB #ನಮ್ಮRCB pic.twitter.com/vV6MyRDyRt

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) May 11, 2022

“So we stay in touch and he’s very keenly watching RCB and hopefully here next year in some capacity,” Kohli further said, with a wry smile. After realizing the gravity of his statement, Kohli asked with a chuckle: “Did I spill the beans?” It’s pretty certain that De Villiers won’t return to the team as a player and he can be only roped in as a member of the support staff.

Meanwhile, RCB, despite De Villiers’ absence, have done pretty well in the ongoing IPL 2022. Having won seven of their first 12 games, the Faf du Plessis-led team is in a commanding position in the playoff race. However, Kohli has been enduring a tough time with the bat this season and he would like to get among the runs sooner than later.