De Villiers content on carrying additional workload despite injury scare - Cricket News Update
Despite being diagnosed with some serious ankle and back issues, South Africa’s limited overs captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746.
The 28-year-old wicketkeeper batsman aggravated a recurring lower back injury during the recently concluded http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758, and has been withdrawn from Titans' squad for the Champions League T20, commencing in South Africa on October 9.
Besides the back injury, de Villiers is also nursing a chronic left ankle issue, which too was aggravated during the World T20. The double injury blow has also put him in doubt for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757’s tour of Australia, next month.
South Africa team manager Dr Mohammad Moosajee confirmed on Thursday that de Villiers injuries got worse during the disastrous World T20 campaign because of de Villiers’ workload, and if not managed properly, the issues could further worsen.
However, the wicketkeeper batsman was defiant that he was not being overburdened, and insisted that he was enjoying all his duties as skipper, keeper and middle order batsman.
“It's something we’ll have to discuss. Maybe a bit of rest time here and there which is difficult because I’m captain of two of the teams and I wouldn't like to miss any Tests,” de Villiers told reporters on Thursday, adding, “I’m enjoying the captaincy so much, it's something I wouldn't like to give up.”
The hard-hitting Pretoria batsman was also willing to sacrifice his longevity to remain in these positions.
“Batting for team and taking the gloves for the side, knowing the position I’m playing in is better for the side and we can win more games, that gives me lot of pleasure,” said de Villiers, who has to date played 77 Tests, compiling 5618 runs and scoring 109 dismissals, including a stumping as well.
“If I miss out on a year at the end of my career so be it but we should win games,” maintained the wicketkeeper batsman.
Besides 77 Test appearances, de Villiers has played 132 One day Internationals and 44 T20 Internationals as well for South Africa, scoring 5168 and 782 runs respectively. Previously he used to don gloves in limited-overs games only, but http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 in July, forced him to keep wickets in the five-day format as well.
The current injury of de Villiers generally needs a recovery period of three to four weeks, but the exact amount of time will be known only after he has seen a specialist.
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