IPL 2024: The Indian Premier League (IPL) season, which begins on March 22, will feature two players whom legendary South African batsman AB de Villiers believes will excel: a young South African hitter and a rising Indian top-order batsman.
South Indian Derby to Kick Off IPL Season
Beginning on March 22, the 17th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will feature a South Indian derby between the reigning champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at MA Chidambaram Stadium, their home field.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, De Villiers selected opener Yashasvi Jaiswal as his preferred Indian player. Jaiswal’s stellar season with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) earned him a return to the Indian national team for both Test and T201 matches. This season, the Proteas great anticipates that he will score 500–600 runs.
De Villiers’ Expectations for Yashasvi Jaiswal
“There is one guy that I absolutely cannot wait to watch. That is Jaiswal. He showed in the Test format what he is capable of. Now it is time for him in T20 cricket to really show his talent. With the amount of confidence he took from that Test series (against England), to take that into this IPL, I am expecting fireworks from this guy. I am expecting at least a 500-plus season, maybe even 600-plus,” said De Villiers.
Jaiswal’s Test Performance Highlights
Jaiswal was awarded ‘Player of the Series’ after an outstanding Test series against England in which he hammered two double hundreds. Jaiswal scored 712 runs at an average of 89.00 in five games, including two double hundreds and three fifties. His highest rating was 214*. He has amassed 1,028 runs at an average of 68.53 in nine Test matches, including three hundreds and four fifties.
A Rising Star to Watch
Keep a “eye out” for South African wicketkeeper Tristan Stubbs, who De Villiers mentioned was excellent in the SA20 tournament’s second season and has some spin in his bowling. Stubbs keeps wickets as well.
