On Friday, AB de Villiers announced that he is retiring from all forms of cricket. A few years ago, the South African had quit international cricket and was only focussing on league-based competitions. ABD’s retirement will leave a massive hole at Royal Challengers Bangalore. In this article, we take a look at the list of six foreign cricketers who can replace AB de Villiers at RCB from the next season of IPL.
AB de Villiers is more than just a cricketer for RCB. The fans adore him and the enthusiasm he brings is hard to emulate. It would be hard for any new player to replace him as a brand in RCB. There are a few who could try to take his position in the XI. We take a look at a few in this article.
1) Jos Buttler
Jos Buttler is one of the foreign cricketers who can replace AB de Villiers at RCB from the next season of IPL. While opening the batting is his best position, Buttler has shown that he can also play in the middle-order. He has often been employed as a finisher in the past by both Rajasthan Royals and England. The Englishman can also keep wickets and will be a great hit at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
2) Aiden Markram
Aiden Markram has been doing well in T20 cricket in recent years. He is a genuine top-order batsman but can also do well in the middle-order as shown while playing for South Africa in the recent T20 World Cup campaign. He also offers a few overs of off-spin, which makes him a utility player for the franchise. Being from South Africa, Aiden is also more easily attainable than the other targets.
3) Jonny Bairstow
Jonny Bairstow has similar attributes to Buttler but brings something different to the table. His pace game is strong and is a brute hitter of the ball. Bairstow has recently done well in the middle-order as well. Hence, he could be used as an option by RCB if they could get hands on him at the auction.
4) Rassie van der Dussen
Rassie van der Dussen can also replace AB de Villiers at RCB. He had a decent outing in the T20 World Cup but over the past few months, he has been in top form for the Proteas. Rassie seems capable to excel on the Indian pitches and hence, seems suitable for RCB.
5) Nicholas Pooran
Nicholas Pooran’s recent form has been discouraging. However, he can be a real deal if unleashed at a stadium like the Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru. The West Indian is young, a left-hander and also a wicket-keeper. All these attributes would improve the balance of the XI and will also help the team in the long run.
6) Liam Livingstone
Liam Livingstone is one of the strongest hitters of the ball at the moment. He also bowls useful medium pace. Considering the short boundaries at Chinnaswamy, the Englishman can be a decent option. If he gets a run of games in IPL, he could find success in the competition.
