AB de Villiers reveals how he is preparing for IPL’s UAE leg
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter AB de Villiers, who reached Dubai earlier last week, said he is excited to play in the upcoming practice match with the team members and get in the best possible groove. The second half of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to begin from September 19 in UAE, and RCB are shaping up for their first clash in the UAE leg.
RCB are currently placed third on the points table and will look to carry forward the same momentum in the second half of the IPL. De Villiers, who had a good first half while finishing the games for RCB, feels he needs to stay as fresh as possible during the remaining matches.
The South African batting star’s success for RCB is unparalleled, and often ‘Mr. 360’ is the one who singlehandedly changes the complexion of the game. De Villiers spoke about the weather conditions in the UAE and how they will have an impact on the players.
“It was very good. The wicket was a bit sticky so it was quite tough actually. Bowlers bowled very well and it’s humid here, we are gonna sweat a lot which is good for losing a bit of weight but for an old man like me, I need to stay fresh as much as I can,” de Villiers said in a video posted by RCB on its social media platforms.
“It was a great session and was nice to see everyone out there. All the guys are looking very eager to get going. I am looking forward to tomorrow’s warm-up game,” he added.
It’s great to be together as a team again: Ab de Villiers
The perennial underachievers in the IPL, RCB will finally look to end their trophy drought. De Villiers has been with the team since 2011 and often considers RCB as his second family. He said that he missed the players and is keen to catch up on some interesting stories.
“Absolutely, I have missed the guys. I have caught up with a couple of individuals, and I will get to meet up with the older guys over the next few days. I have covered a couple of guys tonight, and it’s nice to hear all the stories and what they got up to in the last couple of months.’ There’s some interesting stuff that has happened and, it’s great to be together as a team again,” de Villiers mentioned.
The former South African player concluded by saying that he has added few new things in technique and removed some.
“I have always chopped and changed my technique as I have moved on, and this is no different. This is the first time in a few months that I will be playing competitive cricket again. So, I am trying to find the comfort zone of movement at the crease, where my head position should be, and that’s what I think of when I do shadow batting,” he added.
