The revelation that AB de Villiers made a last-minute offer to come out of international retirement to play for South Africa at the Cricket World Cup but was turned down has further unsettled a team already teetering on the edge of crisis.
South Africa's head of team selection confirmed the news on Thursday (local time), saying he was only made aware of the star batsman's offer to return on the day the country's World Cup squad was announced last month. The offer was passed on to the selectors by captain Faf du Plessis, a long-time friend of de Villiers, and coach Ottis Gibson.
South Africa batsman AB De Villiers in action. Credit:Melissa Adams
It was rejected, head selector Linda Zondi said, in fairness to other players who had "put in the hard work" in the months leading up to the squad being chosen.
It's an unwanted distraction for a team that have lost their first three World Cup games and are without experienced fast bowler Dale Steyn for the rest of the tournament through injury.
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De Villiers tweeted on Thursday: "All that's important is that we should all focus on supporting the team at the World Cup. There is a long way to go and I believe the boys can still go all the way."
The decision to apparently wait until the very last moment to offer himself for the World Cup hasn't gone down well.
"If it was the case, if it did come just as the (World Cup) team was about to be announced, that's quite disruptive from a team perspective," former South Africa captain and now TV commentator Shaun Pollock said.
"If we do find out he was available, maybe he should have spoken up a little earlier. That Read More – Source
The revelation that AB de Villiers made a last-minute offer to come out of international retirement to play for South Africa at the Cricket World Cup but was turned down has further unsettled a team already teetering on the edge of crisis.
South Africa's head of team selection confirmed the news on Thursday (local time), saying he was only made aware of the star batsman's offer to return on the day the country's World Cup squad was announced last month. The offer was passed on to the selectors by captain Faf du Plessis, a long-time friend of de Villiers, and coach Ottis Gibson.
South Africa batsman AB De Villiers in action. Credit:Melissa Adams
It was rejected, head selector Linda Zondi said, in fairness to other players who had "put in the hard work" in the months leading up to the squad being chosen.
It's an unwanted distraction for a team that have lost their first three World Cup games and are without experienced fast bowler Dale Steyn for the rest of the tournament through injury.
Advertisement
De Villiers tweeted on Thursday: "All that's important is that we should all focus on supporting the team at the World Cup. There is a long way to go and I believe the boys can still go all the way."
The decision to apparently wait until the very last moment to offer himself for the World Cup hasn't gone down well.
"If it was the case, if it did come just as the (World Cup) team was about to be announced, that's quite disruptive from a team perspective," former South Africa captain and now TV commentator Shaun Pollock said.
"If we do find out he was available, maybe he should have spoken up a little earlier. That Read More – Source
