Star batsman A B de Villiers returned to South Africa’s squad for the remaining three One Day Internationals against India, giving a boost to the beleaguered hosts who have lost all their matches so far.
De Villiers has been added to South Africa’s squad for the remaining matches, but a call on his availability for the fourth match, to be held at the Wanderers on Saturday - in the annual Pink ODI - will only be taken after he is assessed at Friday’s practice, reported PTI.
De Villiers missed the first three games of the six-match series with a finger injury he sustained during the Wanderers Test. His inclusion was the only change to the existing squad, where Aiden Markram will continue to remain the captain.
“Having AB back is going to be a massive boost. He will bring confidence to the team and his leadership within the group will add a lot of value as well,” J P Duminy had said after South Africa lost the third ODI at Newlands by 124 runs.
The free-scoring de Villiers had bruised an index finger attempting to take a catch in the 63-run defeat in the third Test against the tourists at the same venue.
De Villiers has scored 9,515 runs in 225 ODIs at an average of more than 54 and a strike rate of 101.
He holds the record for the fastest century in the format, reaching the milestone off only 31 balls against the West Indies in 2015 - a feat that he achieved in the Pink ODI.
Squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Khaya Zondo, Farhaan Behardien, Heinrich Klaasen.
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