Cricket: South Africa unlikely to win T20 World Cup without AB de Villiers, reckons Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra has said the absence of AB de Villiers has additionally reduced South Africa's horrible odds of winning the 2021 T20 World Cup. De Villiers recently told Mark Boucher that he would not be playing for South Africa. The swashbuckling batsman was in superb form for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2021 and had revived any expectations of coming out of international retirement.

On his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra said that South Africa as a T20 World Cup competitor without AB de Villiers. 

"The chances of their progress would have been better if AB de Villiers was there but if he is not there, it is impossible to get a player of his quality. The team still has good players but is it a team that can win the World Cup, I personally don't think so," Chopra said.

While recognising that South Africa can disturb a couple of teams, he called attention to that the side may be found needing on the marginally increasingly slow cordial tracks. 

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"This team can do well, trouble a few people and spoil other teams' parties but they might not be able to win the World Cup because wherever it happens, whether in India or the UAE, I have my reservations with regards to their chances to win the tournament in these conditions," the former India batsman added.

While AB de Villiers has precluded himself, South Africa have additionally not picked a portion of their accomplished players like Faf du Plessis and Chris Morris for the T20I series against West Indies and Ireland. The Proteas group would be debilitated further if such experienced players are not in their plan of things for the impending T20 World Cup.

"The first thing is whether they can win the World Cup is a big question. They did not win when AB de Villiers was there as well. They play well but something happens when they come for an ICC trophy," he said.

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While conceding that one can never preclude a group, Aakash Chopra closed down by expressing that South Africa doesn't appear to have a side that can go the distance. 

"Now, the group isn't excessively acceptable. We should be reasonable, don't exclude them. They are a decent group, they battle yet they are additionally a group that battles toward the end and gags on occasion. They don't actually have the foggiest idea of how to close the pivotal turning points. That issue has been there with this group" - he concluded.