He has his reasons, which I respect: Mark Boucher on ABD's decision

The long-lasting will-he-won’t-he saga of AB de Villiers’s return to international cricket finally came to an end when it was announced that the legend of the game won’t be returning to the South African fold. While the decision would definitely be a loss to the international game, Mark Boucher has clarified the reasons surrounding the non-return of De Villiers to the Protean setup.

Although he was apparently disappointed with the outcome, Boucher was empathetic of De Villiers’s reason for his decision. “AB has his reasons, which I respect. Unfortunately, he's no longer in the mix. I say unfortunately because I think we all agree that he's still one of the best, if not the best T20 player in world cricket," said Boucher speaking to The Citizen.

“But he alluded to being concerned about coming in ahead of other players who have been a part of the system. I don't think it sat well with him, which I understand,” Boucher added.

The murmurs of AB de Villiers’s return in the Green and Yellow of South Africa which had been long heard had grown stronger in recent months with strong performances in the Indian Premier League for RCB. Having scored 207 runs at a strike rate of above 160, the talismanic batsman looked at his imperious best, showing no ring rust having virtually not played any competitive cricket since last November. 

While his absence will be a huge loss to any team, Boucher said that he would rather focus on the resources the Proteas have at hand and what’s to come for the team. "As a coach, I needed to try and get our best players, for the team and the environment. AB is an energy booster in any environment, but I respect his reasoning. It was worth a go, but now let's move forward,” he concluded.

[Cricbuzz inputs]