The South African head coach, Mark Boucher, has previously made it clear that he is keen on seeing AB de Villiers return to international duty.
Faf du Plessis mentioned that CSA and de Villiers have been in talks for the past couple of months. This comes after the former star, who amassed a massive record of 114 Tests, 228 ODIs, and 78 T20Is, unexpectedly retired from the game last year.
This past Monday, captain Faf du Plessis revealed that the national board is currently in negotiations with AB de Villiers to see if the former captain can rejoin the squad before their 2020 T20I tour of Australia.
When AB de Villiers retired in 2018 at age 35, it sent shockwaves through the cricket community. While it was reported last year that he was interested in returning for the 50-over World Cup in England, Faf du Plessis and the team management decided not to accept his offer at that time.
South African cricket is now under new leadership with Graeme Smith as CSA Director of Cricket and Mark Boucher as head coach. This new regime is focused on strengthening the national side with their top-tier talent in preparation for the T20 World Cup.
Du Plessis confirmed that these discussions have been happening for about two or three months, reacting to Mark Boucher's comment that he would be thrilled to have de Villiers back in the fold.
According to du Plessis, with the T20 World Cup approaching and a limited number of international T20s scheduled this season, these talks have already begun and will continue before the next T20 series kicks off.
Earlier this week, coach Mark Boucher reiterated his goal of bringing de Villiers back, stating he is more than willing to have a conversation with the retired icon.
Boucher explained that when preparing for a World Cup, you naturally want your strongest lineup. He questioned why he wouldn't want to talk to de Villiers, adding that he might reach out to several players to gauge their interest.
Boucher further emphasized that the goal is to have the best players for the World Cup. He suggested that if there are any lingering issues to resolve—whether with the media or teammates—they should be worked through for the greater good of South African cricket.