BBL 2020-21: Will AB de Villiers be playing this edition of Big Bash League? 

The latest edition of the Big Bash League will get underway on December 10, with the opening game of BBL 2020-21 between Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Sixers at the Bellerive Oval.

AB de Villiers fans, though, would be disappointed as the former South African captain will not feature in this year’s edition.

One of the most exciting T20 batsmen ever, AB de Villiers, who had signed up with BBL franchise Brisbane Heat last season, will be unavailable this year as his wife Danielle is expecting their third child.

Add to that the quarantine rules related to COVID-19, and AB de Villiers’ travel to Australia would have become hugely complicated.

"While things initially looked fine for him to come back, there have been a few factors emerge which have changed everyone's plans," coach Darren Lehmann was quoted as saying earlier on AB de Villiers’ absence

AB de Villiers hopeful of returning to BBL in the future

AB de Villiers played six BBL matches for the Heat last year, but only managed 146 runs at an average of 24.33. Had he joined the Heat at BBL, the South African would have had to undergo 14 days of quarantine in his hotel room before being able to join the franchise.

"It's exciting for Danielle and me with the arrival of our new baby very soon. So with a young, growing family, and the uncertainty around travel and conditions due to Covid-19, we reluctantly decided it wasn't going to be this season,” AB de Villiers had stated, explaining his decision to opt out of BBL 2020-21

"The Heat were great to us last summer and I am very open to returning to the club in the future. The team didn't get the results we were hoping for and I consider there is some unfinished business to deal with," he had further added.

AB de Villiers recently turned out for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2020. He displayed excellent form, smashing 454 runs in 15 matches at an average of 45.40 and a strike rate of 158.74. The dashing batsman had as many as five fifties to show for his efforts, and single-handedly lifted RCB to victory from improbable positions more than once.

Combining with skipper Virat Kohli and young opener Devdutt Padikkal, AB de Villiers played a pivotal role in Bangalore making it to the IPL 2020 play-offs. RCB finished fourth in the points table, but faltered in the Eliminator against Sunrisers Hyderabad despite yet another half-century from de Villiers.