‘The game needs you in trying times’ – Ravi Shastri wants AB de Villiers to come out of international retirement

AB de Villiers might have retired from international cricket back in 2018, but he hasn’t run out of gas by any stretch of the imaginations. The veteran is currently plying his trade for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). And he hasn’t flattered to deceive by any means, scoring runs with sheer authority.

He has been one of the star performers for them in the tournament. The Challengers are currently placed third in the points table with five wins in their first seven games. In those matches, ABD scored 228 runs at an incredible average and strike-rate of 57 and 185.36 respectively. He was at his very best in the game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Monday, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

AB de Villiers showing his class

RCB won the game by a mammoth 82 runs and ABD became the Player of the Match. Batting first, the Challengers notched 194 for the loss of two wickets. The Pretoria-born came to bat in the 13th over after Prasidh Krishna rattled Aaron Finch’s woodwork. From there on, the 36-year-old stamped his authority. He eventually scored 73 unbeaten runs off 33 balls with five fours and six sixes.

He also shared a 100-run partnership with captain Kohli. ABD played at a strike-rate of 221.21 and helped RCB to the colossal total. While defending the score, RCB restricted KKR to 112 for the loss of nine wickets after some stunning performance from the bowlers.

In the meantime, former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri reckoned that De Villiers should come out of retirement. Shastri, who’s also the head coach of the Men in Blue, stated that the game needs ABD at a stage when the cricketing world has suffered quite a bit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He took to Twitter and wrote, “Now, that the penny has dropped. What one saw last night was unreal. And the feeling is the same waking up. @ABdeVilliers17, the game in these trying times or otherwise needs you back in the international arena and out of retirement. The game will be better off #RCBvKKR #IPL2020.”

Here’s the tweet:

Now, that the penny has dropped. What one saw last night was unreal. And the feeling is the same waking up. @ABdeVilliers17, the game in these trying times or otherwise needs you back in the international arena and out of retirement. The game will be better off #RCBvKKR #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/s9BG6MxiCv

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) October 13, 2020