In-form and available AB de Villiers must be included in World Cup squad, admits Mark Boucher

A former captain in all formats for South Africa and rated among the greatest players the country has produced, de Villiers’ sudden retirement from the world sport had come as a shock to the cricketing fraternity. Mr. 360, who turned 36 on Monday, has scored 1672 runs in 78 T20Is so far for the Proteas, striking at 135.16. 

“He’s a discussion in the media and in the public but he is no discussion for me. I have had chats with him and we will probably know pretty soon what’s going to happen with him. Like I said from day one when I took over, if we are going to a World Cup, I would like to have our best players there,” Boucher was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

He was last seen in action in the Big Bash League (BBL) for Brisbane Heat. Besides a couple of the fifties and cameos, de Villiers had hinted, on more than one occasion, that he’d be willing to make a comeback into the T20 set up to help his country’s cause at the premier event in Australia later this year.

“If AB is in good form and he is raring to go and he makes himself available for the time we have asked him to be available; if he is the best man for the job, then he must go. It’s not about egos or anything like that, it’s about sending your best team to the World Cup to try and win that competition,” Boucher added.