We might just see the 300-mark breached in this IPL: de Villiers

Reflecting on the Impact Player Rule and high-scoring matches in the IPL, de Villiers said that rule had greatly changed the game.

Bengaluru: One of the greats of white-ball format, AB de Villiers says that the biggest challenge for Rajat Bhatia, the newly-appointed captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, will be insecurity.

“ Stepping into the big boots of past captains like Faf (du Plessis) and Virat (Kohli). Having Virat around and constantly doubting yourself, ‘Am I doing the right thing? What would Virat do?’—that, I think, is his biggest obstacle,” de Villiers said in a chat with JioHotstar.

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“He should use the experience of Virat, Andy Flower, and other senior players, but always stay true to himself. That, to me, would be the best advice for Patidar,” he added.

Reflecting on the Impact Player Rule and high-scoring matches in the IPL, de Villiers said that rule had greatly changed the game. “It feels a bit unfair, and I’ve shared some criticism about that. With fielding restrictions allowing only two fielders outside the ring, along with the added freedom for top-order batters, it makes things very difficult for the bowlers,” he explained.

“But it is exciting for the batters. We might just see that 300-run mark breached in this TATA IPL season,” de Villiers said.

On Virat Kohli’s role and RCB’s chances, the former RCB star batter felt that the team had what it should take to go all the way. “ Virat looked very calm and composed in the last IPL. He seems to be enjoying his cricket—especially in the Champions Trophy, where I could clearly see his joy while batting,” he said.

“I don’t think he needs to change much. Batting with Phil Salt—one of the most attacking players we’ve seen in IPL and other tournaments—will take a lot of pressure off him. All Virat needs to do is what he’s been doing for years: control the game. He has the best instincts of any player—he knows when to accelerate and when to hold back,” de Villiers said.

“I believe he should be the ‘captain of the batting department’ this season—keeping the team steady and playing smart cricket,” the explosive hitter of yesteryears said.

When asked whether this could finally be RCB’s year for the IPL trophy, AB de Villiers humorously shared an interaction he had with Virat Kohli. “I said ‘Ee sala cup namde’ the other day, and I got a direct message from Virat. He told me, ‘Please, just stop doing that now.’ So, I got into a bit of trouble for that! ,” a smiling de Villiers said.

“ The team that manages to maintain energy and momentum towards the back end of the tournament usually comes out on top. Teams that capitalize on their home advantage tend to perform well. So, I really hope this is the year—the 18th season, with number 18 (Virat) in the squad. If RCB lifts the trophy, I will be there celebrating with Virat,” he concluded.