Won't Be Surprised If AB de Villiers Is Seen In RCB Camp For IPL 2022: Aakash Chopra

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra reckoned that former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers might join Royal Challengers Bangalore in their coaching set-up.

After spending 11 seasons at the Bangalore outfit, de Villiers, on November 19, 2021, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket including the Indian Premier League.

De Villiers was at the peeks of his career and also displayed the signs of not performing at his best in the second leg of IPL 2021. The South African batter amassed 313 runs from 15 matches at the strike rate of 148.34.

He could just manage 106 runs from eight innings in the second leg of IPL 2021 with his highest score was 26 against Delhi Capitals.

Won’t be surprised if AB de Villiers is seen in the RCB camp: Aakash Chopra

De Villiers himself has admitted that he will be supporting RCB and in one of his latest interview he mentioned that he has a role to play for the South Africa national team and RCB.

Chopra said that he won’t be surprise to see the South African great in the RCB camp for IPL 2022.

“Of course, Sanjay Bangar is the head coach of RCB but I won’t be surprised if AB de Villiers is seen in the RCB camp this year as well, that means in IPL 2022,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“It is an interesting thing that AB de Villiers has announced his retirement. He has said that he will not play anywhere, he will not play the IPL as well. But he will still be there on the ground,” he added.

AB de Villiers will be seen in the RCB dugout: Aakash Chopra

Many prominent players like Brendon McCullum (KKR), Michael Hussey (CSK), Daniel Vettori (RCB) and Zaheer Khan (MI) have been associated with their previous francchises in their respective coaching departments assuming various roles.

Chopra feels that de Villiers, too, could join RCB’s coaching staff either as their batting coach or a mentor.

“It has been a custom, if you see any franchise, that a player who plays from a franchise, after a while, he is sitting in their dugout as a mentor or batting coach or something or the other,” Chopra observed.

“Similarly, I feel either RCB would have already approached AB de Villiers or would be doing so and he will be seen in that dugout as a mentor or batting coach,” he further added.

De Villiers made 5162 runs from 170 IPl innings at the strike rate of 151.69 and hit 40 half-centuries and three hundreds in 14 seasons of the cash rich league.

Also Read: AB de Villiers Expresses Desire To Be Part Of South African Setup, RCB In The Future