AB de Villiers shopped around to BBL clubs with a bidding war set to ensue

South African superstar AB de Villiers is being shopped around to Big Bash League clubs in what shapes as a much-needed boost in the competition’s desperate hunt for overseas headline acts.

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THE bidding war is on for South African superstar AB de Villiers, who has declared his interest in coming to the Big Bash.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal de Villiers’ management has emailed every BBL club to outline the 35-year-old batting wizard’s interest in exploring his options in Australia for next summer.

Landing arguably the No. 1 drawcard in international cricket would be a massive boost to the BBL, which suffered last summer when de Villiers announced he would rather go to the Bangladesh Premier League instead.

AB de Villiers is a star of the IPL but decided against a BBL stint last season.

The fact de Villiers — a man worth $2.2 million in the Indian Premier League — is being actively shopped around to BBL clubs, suggests he is serious about spending a summer down under.

His signing would be a dream for broadcasters Fox Cricket and Seven, who have been screaming out for more global stars to improve the standard and boost ratings.

Not since Kevin Pietersen has the BBL had a name like de Villiers to headline the competition, and it’s likely Fox and Seven may also try to sign the freakish run-machine to a commentary deal.

De Villiers’ decision to bypass last year’s BBL in many ways highlighted the dwindling interest of big name overseas talents in the expanded competition.

It’s a concern Cricket Australia executives have made a priority to turn around, and landing de Villiers could act as a lightning rod to bringing back the stars.

It’s understood de Villiers may not be available for the entire seven-week tournament, but could play a crucial role for a team in the second half of the competition from mid-January to the finals.

The BBL desperately needed a breakthrough like this after administrators were left reeling from news last week that India is forcing Cricket Australia into the farcical scenario of playing one-dayers in the sub-continent in the height of the home summer.

The scheduling disaster will take Australia’s best white ball cricketers away from the BBL at a time when CA was doing all it could to get the likes of Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell playing.

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De Villiers would be an instant box office star.

It’s understood all BBL franchises will make contact with de Villiers, who is the kind of player any team would build their squad around.

Last year, The Daily Telegraph revealed how the Sydney Sixers were using the sparkling sands and idyllic ocean views of Coogee to try and lure de Villiers and his family to the Harbour City after the batting great announced his retirement from international cricket.

The Sydney Thunder and Melbourne Stars were also heavily pursuing de Villiers last time around, and even though he knocked back all offers in 2018 — executives will be polishing their power point presentations for another pitch.

De Villiers shares a bond with Thunder captain Shane Watson having played together in the IPL, while Stars batting coach Trent Woodhill also shares a similar connection with the former Proteas skipper.

On Australia’s ill-fated sandpapergate tour of South Africa last year, it was de Villiers’ master innings in the second Test which sparked the beginning of the end.