Former star South Africa batter AB de Villiers, who is renown for his flamboyant and 360 degree batting, landed in India on Thursday (November 3) and checked into Bengaluru's hotel to discuss his future with RCB franchise for the IPL 2023.
RCB posted a video on their social media where de Villiers can be seen stating the intentions of his visit.
This tweet of his has made fans curious about his return to the team again.
I am here to have a chat with the RCB guys about this year's IPL," de Villiers said in the video.
Earlier, RCB informed the fans that someone who said he will back in RCB has arrived in Bengaluru. De Villiers' tweet came right after RCB's update.
"Just checked in to the ITC Royal Gardenia for the first time in many years! So many great memories flowing back. Also been told this is my 25th time checking in here Tele is on and ready for the Pak/SA game. Go Proteas," wrote AB de Villiers on his Twitter.
De Villiers had earlier announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, including IPL, after the 2020 season. However, he had later said that he will return to RCB in some role.
“I will be around RCB next year, I am missing it, don’t know in which capacity but I would like to visit my second home which is Chinnaswamy stadium — I am looking forward to it,” de Villiers had said.
Virat Kohli and de Villiers became great friends after spending so many years playing for RCB in IPL. It seems Kohli and him will be reunited with return to de Villiers in the side. However, it's still unknown in what capacity de Villiers will return to RCB this time around. De Villiers is a cricket legend, surely an IPL legend and his presence is certainly going to lift the RCB dressing room. Batters will benefit for his wealth of experience.
During his playing days, AB de Villiers featured in 184 IPL matches over 14 seasons, and the 2022 edition was the first time he didn’t take part in the world’s richest franchise cricket league. Even though AB de Villiers was not able to win any IPL titles with the RCB side, he still enjoys huge popularity in the southern state’s capital city. He is one of the best batters to have appeared in the IPL.
In 170 innings of 184 matches, De Villiers scored 5162 runs, which came at an average of 39.70 and a strike rate of 151.68. The South African sits at the sixth position on the all-time highest run scorers list and has three centuries and 40 fifties to his name.
