World Cup 2019: Former SA coach Russell Domingo names the favourites

All the top cricketing teams are already preparing for the World Cup 2019. They will be playing a lot of One-Day International cricket in the next 10 months or so and are using this time to fine-tuning the line-up – preserving important players and getting into the mindset for the mega event. South Africa received an utter shock when their former captain AB de Villiers decided to retire from all forms of cricket earlier this year.

Russell Domingo who was the coach of the national team until a few months ago and is currently helping them shape up the future players having taken the responsibility of the South Africa A team admitted that AB is the best player they ever had. He also maintained that even without the big man they have a team that can do the job.

Will South Africa miss AB?

“AB is one of the best ever but the game goes on. Nobody is irreplaceable, as you have seen with so many teams. Somebody else will come in and do well. J. P. Duminy, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, David Miller — it is a great line-up,” Domingo said while talking to Sportstar.

The favourites

The South African admitted that hosts England and the Indian team will enter the World Cup as favourites and is rather better to not be front-runners as anything can happen when the tournament enters the knockout stage.

India and England will obviously be the favourites but I feel it is better to go into a tournament not as a frontrunner. But South Africa may just be even when it comes to knockouts; anything can happen in knockout cricket,” he added.

De Villiers sudden retirement

Earlier in April, de Villiers had himself admitted that he has changed his mindset and it was not to win the World Cup thought it would be a bonus if they were able to do that. He was in a positive head space, however, there was a certain and drastic shift after his stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

“I’m taking it one game at a time. My ultimate dream is not to win a World Cup. I’ve changed my mindset. I feel it will be nice to win it, it’ll be a bonus, but if I don’t, it’s not going to define my career,” the International Cricket Council (ICC) quoted AB as saying.

De Villiers announced his retirement from international cricket on 23rd May but will continue to play T20 leagues around the world.

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