'We're all keen to make it happen' - AB de Villiers hints at international comeback ahead of T20 World Cup 2020

The saga between AB de Villiers and his enthralling performances for whichever side he plays for is a never-ending affair. The South Africa veteran has embossed his worth in every domestic played in which he has played so far in his career. Over the years, the 35-year-old established himself as one of the stalwarts of Cricket South Africa.

De Villiers’ decision of hanging up his Proteas shirt in May 2018 came as a shock for entire cricketing fraternity. The South African veteran bid adieu to his international career after playing 114 Tests, 228 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 78 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) for South Africa. The right-hander had pointed out the immense pressure to perform at international level as the reason behind his sudden departure from the Proteas side.

However, De Villiers, who donned the Brisbane Heat jersey on his BBL debut on Tuesday, stated that the revamp of Cricket South Africa has allured him to make a comeback to international cricket. The explosive batsman muscled 40 runs off 32 balls in Heat’s seven-wicket triumph against Adelaide Strikers at the Gabba. De Villiers’ return to the South African squad ahead of T20 World Cup 2020 will undoubtedly be a piece of exciting news for all cricket fans.

“I would love to. I’ve been talking to ‘Bouch’ (new South Africa coach Mark Boucher), (new director of cricket) Graeme Smith and (captain) Faf (du Plessis) back home, we’re all keen to make it happen. It’s a long way away still, and plenty can happen – there’s the IPL coming up, I’ve still got to be in form at that time. So I’m thinking of throwing my name in the hat and hoping that everything will work out,” said De Villiers as quoted by cricket.com.au.

AB de Villiers had reportedly made himself available ahead of ICC World Cup 2019

Ahead of the ICC World Cup 2019, the 35-year-old had elevated the hopes of fans who were eager to see him don the Proteas jersey again. De Villiers had reportedly made himself available for the marquee event, only for CSA to reject the offer. However, with Cricket South Africa undergoing a massive overhaul in the past few months, chances of De Villiers marking his return to the South African side seem more viable now.

“There are a lot of players (involved with CSA) who I used to play with. Guys who understand the game, leaders of the team for many years. So it’s much easier to communicate than what it used to be in the past. They understand what players go through – especially players that have played for 15 years internationally,” added De Villiers.

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