De Villiers back into squad against India

AB de Villiers returns to the South African squad for the last three ODIs against India, Cricket South Africa announced Thursday. The star batsman missed the first three matches because of a finger injury suffered in the third and final Test match against the same opponent last month. There was no immediate word on whether De Villiers had recovered sufficiently to play in the fourth match at the Wanderers Stadium today. He will be assessed when the squad reassembles in Johannesburg yesterday.

AB de Villiers is back in SA's ODI squad for the final three #SAvIND ODIs but has not yet been passed fit to play in Saturday's fourth ODI, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.55am: https://t.co/vUBYmll9wW pic.twitter.com/G1JaMKbL35

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 9, 2018

South Africa will be desperate for De Villiers to play after India dominated the first three matches. In what could amount to an admission that South Africa are short of strength in depth, the return of De Villiers is the only change to a squad weakened by injuries to regular captain Faf du Plessis and wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock.

AB de Villiers returns to the Proteas squad for the last three ODIs against India.https://t.co/mN907q59nB

— SuperSport (@SuperSportTV) February 9, 2018

South Africa’s batsmen have struggled, particularly against India’s spinners. Du Plessis hit a century in the first game before being injured but JP Duminy, with 51 in the third game in Cape Town, is the only other South African to have made a half-century. Farhaan Behardien, who was added to the squad after Du Plessis was injured, is the only batsman in the group, other than De Villiers, who has not yet played in the series.

Fit-Again @ABdeVilliers17 returns to South Africa squad for remaining three ODIs #INDvSA #SAvIND

READ: https://t.co/XT6vWzKXM9 pic.twitter.com/LjUCcKnFDz

— CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) February 8, 2018

Squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), David Miller, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi and Khaya Zondo