After former South African captain Graeme Smith has joined as South Africa’s first director of cricket, his long-time national teammate Mark Boucher has been appointed as the head coach of the South African men’s national cricket team. The new head coach is looking forward to setting up a strong Proteas side. He also replied when he was asked about his thought of any possibility of AB de Villiers‘ comeback in international cricket.
On Saturday (14th December), Mark Boucher has taken up the head coach role of the Proteas side, and he will continue it till the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Soon after taking up this crucial role, Boucher has clarified his mindset to build up a strong team. Boucher is ready to welcome the cricketers who left the national side earlier due to the Kolpak deal or retirements.
Though Mark Boucher can’t control the Kolpak deal regulation, he can talk with the recently retired cricketers. While he retired from cricket in 2012, he knows some of recent left Proteas cricketers very well.
Former national team captain AB de Villiers, whose sudden international retirement hugely hit the national team, was one of the very close teammates of Boucher. One of the greatest South African cricketers AB de Villiers is not only playing various franchise cricket leagues, but he is also the most T20 run-scorer among the male cricketers in 2019. The right-handed batsman has scored 1,529 T20 runs this year in 42 matches with a fantastic average of 52.72. He has hit one century and 13 half-centuries in this year’s T20 cricket.
If this AB de Villiers returns to the present struggling South African team, it will surely boost the Proteas side. South Africa are looking forward to their preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia, and it is around ten months away to begin.
If I feel AB de Villiers is one of your best players, why wouldn’t I want to have a conversation with him – Mark Boucher
Mark Boucher has clarified that he will be ready to talk with AB de Villiers if he feels the 35-year-old can be one of their best players. Even the new Proteas coach can speak with some other former cricketers too.
Boucher claimed according to the ESPNcricinfo, “When you go to a World Cup, you want your best players playing for you. If I feel he is one of your best players, why wouldn’t I want to have a conversation with him? I’ve only just got into the job, I might have conversations with quite a few players and see where they are.”
The present South African team is getting ready for the four-match home Test series against England, starting from 26th December 2019. It is going to be the first test for South Africa under the coaching of Mark Boucher.