ICC World Cup 2019 | Faf du Plessis hopeful that AB de Villiers' issue will spark comeback

South Africa have had a miserable ICC World Cup and their hopes are hanging by a slender thread after Monday’s match against the West Indies was abandoned due to rain in Southampton. That was the latest setback for South Africa captain Faf du Plessis who lead the team over three successive defeats at the ongoing global showpiece.

If all this wasn’t enough, the Proteas also had to switch into a crisis-management mode when it was revealed last week that former captain AB de Villiers offered to come out of retirement before the selection committee announced the squad for the upcoming World Cup. However, du Plessis opined that the controversy will bring the whole squad together ahead of a crunch schedule in England.

“We do feel like the news came into the camp and just went through the team. It didn’t have a big impact.

“There was a discussion on clarity and making sure everyone knows what’s going on. But stuff like that can give you direction and purpose, to focus on what lies ahead. The squad was already picked. I spoke to the coach and selectors the next day, and we all agreed it was too late to change the team,” du Plessis told PTI.

The 34-year-old batsman further added that he is well aware that South Africa have not been playing their best cricket in the last few weeks but added that he still believes in his squad.

“We’re in this position because we haven’t played our best cricket. We need individuals to stand up. We don’t deserve to be anywhere close to the top of the table. We need to start playing better cricket, more consistent, more solid cricket.

“I do honestly feel as a team, the feeling in the camp is still very strong. A couple of bad results and cracks can start to appear but that honestly hasn’t happened to us. In that situation the blame game can start but I do honesty believe we’ve been very far away from that,” the South African skipper added.