Royal Challengers Bangalore wicket-keeper batter, AB De Villiers announced his retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect. In 2018, he took retirement from international cricket.
“It has been an incredible journey, but I have decided to retire from all cricket. Ever since the back yard matches with my older brothers, I have played the game with pure enjoyment and unbridled enthusiasm. Now, at the age of 37, that flame no longer burns so brightly,” AB De Villiers wrote on Twitter announcing his retirement.
It has been an incredible journey, but I have decided to retire from all cricket.
Ever since the back yard matches with my older brothers, I have played the game with pure enjoyment and unbridled enthusiasm. Now, at the age of 37, that flame no longer burns so brightly. pic.twitter.com/W1Z41wFeli
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) November 19, 2021
AB De Villiers has been a match-winner for the Royal Challengers Bangalore team over the years. He has scored 5162 runs in 184 matches, at an average of 39.71, including three centuries. AB De Villiers could have been one of the players to be retained by the Royal Challengers Bangalore, ahead of IPL 2022 auctions. However, with him announcing retirement, the franchise will be looking for a replacement to take up his role in the team.
In this article, we take a look at three players who can take up AB De Villiers’ role in the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
1. Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler has been one of the pillars of the Rajasthan Royals batting line-up in the last few Indian Premier League seasons. He single-handedly took the Royals to the playoffs of IPL 2018.
Buttler has scored 1968 runs in 65 IPL matches, at an average of 35.14 and a strike rate of 150. The wicket-keeper batter will be the perfect player to take up AB De Villiers’ role for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
2. Mitch Marsh
The Royal Challengers Bangalore could look at Mitchell Marsh as AB De Villiers’ replacement for the upcoming IPL season. Mitchell Marsh does not have a great record in the Indian Premier League. However, his recent form for Australia in the T20 format has been brilliant.
This year, Marsh has scored 627 runs in 21 matches at an average of 36.88 and has been the leading run-scorer for the country. With the ball, he has picked up 8 wickets, at an average of 18.38.
3. Glenn Philips
Glenn Philips has a very young Indian Premier League career, of just three matches. He replaced Jos Buttler in the Rajasthan Royals squad, for the UAE leg of IPL 2021. Glenn has shown great potential in the shortest format playing for New Zealand.
The Kiwi batter has scored 611 runs, at an average of 26.56 and at a strike rate of 140.45 for New Zealand. He can be the replacement for the Royal Challengers Bangalore to take up AB De Villiers’ role.
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