South African stalwarts AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn still have plenty to offer at this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) despite their recent lack of involvement in top-level cricket, Royal Challengers Bangalore team director Mike Hesson has said.
De Villiers, 36, quit international cricket in 2018 but plays in Twenty20 leagues in South Africa and Australia. He was on the winning team in an experimental three-team tournament in July.
"Only a matter of weeks ago he took part in a match in South Africa and once again he was a standout player, having just come out of his living room. So that certainly showed the quality of player he is," Hesson told a virtual media conference from Dubai.
"He's had very, very good franchise tournaments around the world the last 12 months and he's in good touch.
"Physically, he's feeling good and refreshed. And once again, he's one of the few in the group that are absolutely chomping at the bit to get into training."
Fast bowler Steyn, who quit Tests in 2019 to prolong his limited overs career, has played three Twenty20 International matches this year in addition to his stint in the Pakistan Super League.
"He's developing his game," former New Zealand head coach Hesson said of the 37-year-old quick.
"We saw some different deliveries that he's been able to develop over the last six months. So he's certainly not ready to retire yet, certainly very keen to make a contribution this IPL."
Hesson says RCB have also addressed what ailed their previous campaigns and will be a significantly more balanced side at this year's tournament.
Captained by India skipper Virat Kohli, RCB remain one of the three existing franchises of the eight-team tournament never to have won the world's richest Twenty20 tournament.
They finished runners-up on three occasions, their title drought often blamed on their penchant to collect top-order power-hitters, while remaining thin on bowling resources.
"We're all well aware of history," former New Zealand head coach Hesson told a virtual media conference from Dubai.
"It's more about making sure we've got a squad that's balanced, that can be strong in all conditions and they can deal with phases of the game where the game is on the line."
Hesson said he, head coach Simon Katich and Kohli had several discussions before the players' auction in December when RCB added Australian Kane Richardson, Sri Lanka's Isuru Udana and the South African duo of Chris Morris and Steyn to their attack.
"I think it's very clear that death bowling and bowling under pressure have been something we wanted to make sure we've got covered.
"When we went into the auction, we spent a lot of time making sure we had some experienced finishers there... So we've got many options from a symbolic point of view."
RCB also have a decent spin attack which includes India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and off-spinner Washington Sundar.
"We've got a really nice mix of spin bowlers. So depending on the conditions, we've got the flexibility to be able to modify our game accordingly," Hesson said.
"We've identified areas leading up to the auction that we needed to fill in, I think we've filled those holes nicely."
- Reuters
Still plenty to come from De Villiers, Steyn: RCB's Hesson
Image: Ron Gaunt / IPL / SPORTZPICS
South African stalwarts AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn still have plenty to offer at this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) despite their recent lack of involvement in top-level cricket, Royal Challengers Bangalore team director Mike Hesson has said.
De Villiers, 36, quit international cricket in 2018 but plays in Twenty20 leagues in South Africa and Australia. He was on the winning team in an experimental three-team tournament in July.
"Only a matter of weeks ago he took part in a match in South Africa and once again he was a standout player, having just come out of his living room. So that certainly showed the quality of player he is," Hesson told a virtual media conference from Dubai.
"He's had very, very good franchise tournaments around the world the last 12 months and he's in good touch.
"Physically, he's feeling good and refreshed. And once again, he's one of the few in the group that are absolutely chomping at the bit to get into training."
Fast bowler Steyn, who quit Tests in 2019 to prolong his limited overs career, has played three Twenty20 International matches this year in addition to his stint in the Pakistan Super League.
"He's developing his game," former New Zealand head coach Hesson said of the 37-year-old quick.
"We saw some different deliveries that he's been able to develop over the last six months. So he's certainly not ready to retire yet, certainly very keen to make a contribution this IPL."
Hesson says RCB have also addressed what ailed their previous campaigns and will be a significantly more balanced side at this year's tournament.
Captained by India skipper Virat Kohli, RCB remain one of the three existing franchises of the eight-team tournament never to have won the world's richest Twenty20 tournament.
They finished runners-up on three occasions, their title drought often blamed on their penchant to collect top-order power-hitters, while remaining thin on bowling resources.
"We're all well aware of history," former New Zealand head coach Hesson told a virtual media conference from Dubai.
"It's more about making sure we've got a squad that's balanced, that can be strong in all conditions and they can deal with phases of the game where the game is on the line."
Hesson said he, head coach Simon Katich and Kohli had several discussions before the players' auction in December when RCB added Australian Kane Richardson, Sri Lanka's Isuru Udana and the South African duo of Chris Morris and Steyn to their attack.
"I think it's very clear that death bowling and bowling under pressure have been something we wanted to make sure we've got covered.
"When we went into the auction, we spent a lot of time making sure we had some experienced finishers there... So we've got many options from a symbolic point of view."
RCB also have a decent spin attack which includes India leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and off-spinner Washington Sundar.
"We've got a really nice mix of spin bowlers. So depending on the conditions, we've got the flexibility to be able to modify our game accordingly," Hesson said.
"We've identified areas leading up to the auction that we needed to fill in, I think we've filled those holes nicely."
- Reuters
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