IPL 2021: “It’s going to be tough for Mumbai Indians as well” – AB de Villiers

Ahead of the IPL 2021 opener between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI), AB de Villiers praised the MI outfit’s strength but cautioned them that it wouldn’t be an easy outing for the defending champions against the new-look RCB.

An excited AB de Villiers hopes that the fresh recruits at RCB will be able to light up their campaign.

Speaking to RCB’s YouTube channel, the South African stalwart said:

“It’s the first game of the IPL, and we all are very excited. Mumbai Indians are a fantastic team, who have won the trophy numerous times. We know what we will be up against, and I am very excited to see what we are made of.

“We have got a few new faces this year. Guys like Dan Christian, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson and others have come to this setup. They are quite a few experienced heads. I know it’s a tough game first up, but I am looking forward to it. It’s going to be tough for Mumbai as well.”

RCB will face MI in Chennai to kickstart the IPL 2021 on Friday. Head to head, Mumbai have won 19 encounters, while Bangalore has won 10. MI are the most successful IPL franchise with 5 tournament wins, whereas RCB are still eyeing their maiden glory.

AB de Villiers continues to hold the key for RCB

Even at 37, AB de Villiers will continue to hold the key for RCB’s batting alongside Virat Kohli. Glenn Maxwell’s addition will further boost firepower in the batting line-up.

AB de Villiers may have finished behind Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal in the run-scoring charts of the IPL in the 2020 edition but he still scored an amazing 454 runs at an average of 45.4 while striking at 158.74.

A legend of the sport, AB de Villiers remains one of the most successful cricketers in IPL history, with 4,849 runs at over 40, striking at almost 152.

In terms of sixes hit in the history of the IPL, he is the second highest in the table, ahead of the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni.

AB de Villiers will be a key player for RCB

De Villiers has the ability to play an explosive innings whenever needed and also has the potential to hold the team together by being the anchorman.

Alongside Kohli and Maxwell, De Villiers will be the absolute key to the RCB batting line-up if they are to win this year's tournament.