IPL 2021: This Is Just Not The AB de Villiers That He Is Used To Seeing, Affirms Kevin Pietersen
Published - 30 Sep 2021, 12:37 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:57 AM
Cricketer turned commentator Kevin Pietersen noted that South African batsman AB de Villiers hasn’t contributed enough in the second phase of IPL 2021.
De Villiers is one of the stylish and decorated batsmen in modern-day cricket who can take on any powerful bowling attack to cleaners and turn the game for his own team.
AB de Villiers out of form in the second leg of IPL 2021?
The former South Africa captain has been a lynchpin of the RCB batting line-up over the years and is the only other player apart from skipper Virat Kohli to play for the franchise for more than a decade.
Although de Villiers has won RCB numerous games single-handedly, the veteran batsman is struggling to score in the second leg of IPL 2021 in UAE. Before the Rajasthan Royals match Mr 360° registered scores of 0,12 and 11 since the tournament restarted.
AB de Villiers would be hating the fact that he hasn’t been able to contribute: Kevin Pietersen
Pietersen said that de Villiers has performed incredibly well for RCB and South Africa but wants to see the batsman score big runs in the upcoming matches.
“He is an established player; he is a senior player. He would not want to see Kohli or Maxwell score the runs he is scoring. He must be thinking ‘I’m not holding my side of the bargain. This is just not the AB de Villiers that he is used to seeing,” Pietersen told Star Sports.
“He is a proud player; he is a fabulous player. We have seen that over a number of years. From his point of view, he would like to contribute. He would be hating the fact that he hasn’t been able to contribute. He has contributed so much to the world of cricket and in the IPL. If he gets three ducks in a row, it doesn’t matter. What he has done for the IPL and RCB is incredible. However, he would want to score,” he added.
De Villiers hit the winning runs against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday as RCB won by seven wickets to stay in the third position with 14 points.
