Deadline set for AB de Villiers' return, reveals Mark Boucher

Head coach Mark Boucher has rung the alarm bells by setting a deadline for master batsman AB de Villiers, who recently expressed interest in returning to the Proteas’ T20I squad. The 36-year-old suggested coming out of international retirement earlier this year in an attempt to be selected for South Africa’s squad for the T20 World Cup.

Boucher, then, noted a willingness to accommodate De Villiers’ return and this week, insisted that batsman should make his availability known after the Indian Premier League. De Villiers will represent the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2020 IPL, which will end on 24 May. A week later, Boucher wants to know if de Villiers and others – including all-rounder Chris Morris and leg-spinner Imran Tahir – are available for national selection.

Morris recently played for the Sydney Thunder in Australia’s Big Bash League, while Tahir is currently with the Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League. Like de Villiers, both will compete in the 2020 IPL.

"The big one is the IPL, so we decided to let those guys do the IPL and then afterwards make themselves available. From 1 June, which is the Sri Lanka tour, those guys need to make themselves available. Whether we select them is another story,” said Boucher as quoted by SA Cricket Magazine.

"But they need to make themselves available if they want to put their hands up for a T20 World Cup spot,” he added.