IPL 2018: AB de Villiers set to return, Quinton de Kock to miss CSK clash

South Africa's star batsman AB de Villiers has been confirmed to return for the Royal Challengers Bangalore's clash against the Chennai Super Kings on Saturday. The 34-year-old will make his way back into the playing XI after missing the last two games due to viral fever.

His countrymate Quinton de Kock will, instead, miss the game, and fly back to South Africa to attend a wedding.

AB de Villiers has so far scored 280 runs in six games at an average of 56.00 and strike-rate of 184.21, and already has three fifties to his name. He could not take the field against the Mumbai Indians and the Kolkata Knight Riders owing to viral flu.

“I have been suffering from severe viral flu‚ one of the most debilitating illnesses I have ever experienced. Aside from one visit to the hospital‚ I have barely left my hotel room. Sleep has been almost impossible‚ and the migraine headaches have been extreme".

“The good news is that my condition is now improving every day and‚ as the aches ease and I start to get some proper sleep‚ we are very hopeful that I will be available for selection to play [on Saturday],” he had said earlier.

Confirming the news of de Villiers' inclusion and the absence of de Kock, head coach Daniel Vettori said that the swap would be 'an easy decision' for the franchise.

"AB (De Villiers) is back fit, Quinton (De Kock) is away from this game. Quinton has returned home for a wedding so he is unavailable for this match so probably it's an easy decision for us to make," Vettori was quoted as saying according to Cricbuzz.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore take on the Chennai Super Kings, who are currently placed second in the points table, at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Saturday.

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