AB de Villiers joined the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011. After playing 150 games for the IPL franchise, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket last year. In the 10 years in RCB’s reds, ABD made 4491 runs. His IPL average of 41.08 and strike rate of 152.70 speaks volumes of his might in the league. The Protea scored three centuries and 40 fifties, his highest score is 133 runs.

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In short – De Villiers was the heartbeat of RCB for a decade. 

When ABD left, Bangalore were left with massive boots to fill. They had Aussie hard-hitter Glenn Maxwell in the camp and roped in captain Faf du Plessis and Dinesh Karthik. But finding a replacement for AB de Villiers will need much more. As former RCB skipper Kohli said – “Two or three people are filling for the South African talisman”. 

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However, ABD is expected to join the Royal Challengers Bangalore, not as a player, ‘is some capacity’. 

Virat Kohli, talking to popular comedian Danish Sait aka RCB’s very own Mr Nags, said that the franchise misses him and Mr 360 could join the team next year. 

“I miss him a lot, I speak to him quite regularly and he keeps messaging me. He was in the US recently watching golf, Augusta Masters is what I heard it was called so he told me he was there experiencing with his friend and family,” Kohli told Mr Nags on the show posted on RCB’s social media handles. 

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AB de Villiers retired from the IPL with 5162 runs from 184 matches. He is the sixth highest run-scorer of the league. 

“So we stay in touch and he is very keenly watching RCB, hopefully [we see him] here next year in some capacity,” Kohli said, adding that he might have spilled the beans. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore are currently placed at the fourth rung of the IPL 2022 points table with seven wins and five losses. They are scheduled to play the Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans in the next two weeks.