Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers wants to see his former IPL teammate and star Indian batter Virat Kohli playing the SA 20 league after he is done with International cricket. Being one of the most in-demand players globally, Virat Kohli draws a wider audience to the game.
The SA20 League in South Africa has signed some of the top players in the globe. With so many IPL franchise owners owning teams in the Rainbow Nation, many people are wondering if SA20 can still attract well-known Indian players to play in the league when they retire.
According to the regulations of BCCI, a player who hasn’t fully severed ties with the BCCI isn’t allowed to compete in a T20 competition outside of India.
Speaking in an interview with India Today, AB de Villiers wants to see Virat Kohli playing the SA20 league after his retirement and feels that would be good for the league, which has attracted a wide range of fans in the first season of the T20 league
“Definitely, Virat. Get Virat over there. Hopefully, as soon as he’s done with his career, come and play one season in the BetWay SA 20. That would be amazing,” Ab de Villiers said.
With his outstanding performance, Virat Kohli won the title of Player of the Tournament in the 2023 ODI World Cup. He broke the record for most runs scored by a batter in a single World Cup edition with an astounding 765 runs in 11 innings. Kohli amassed 7263 runs for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 237 games.
I Would Absolutely Love To See Myself In The RCB – Ab de Villiers
AB de Villiers stated that he would like to stay involved with Royal Challengers Bangalore in some capacity going forward, given his extensive background as a player for the franchise in the Indian Premier League and his close relationship with the Bangalore fan base.
“I hope so. I mean, my heart is with the RCB. I’ve played there for many, many years. I’ve got a very good connection with the fans of Bangalore, and I’ll always be appreciative of all the support and love over the years.
“I can’t guarantee anything, but I would absolutely love to see myself in the RCB colours again in the future,” AB de Villiers added.
In 2011, AB de Villiers was signed up by Royal Challengers Bangalore and he went on to become one of the greatest players for the Bengaluru-based franchise. He played 11 seasons for RCB. The South African legend had helped RCB make it to the playoffs five times. He also helped RCB qualify for the IPL final twice.