Big Bash: Sydney Thunder target South Africa’s AB de Villiers for next season

THE world’s best batsman could be on his way to the Big Bash next season, with the Sydney Thunder in the box seat to sign South Africa’s AB de Villiers.

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - MARCH 24: AB de Villiers of South Africa pulls the ball away for six runs during the 2015 Cricket World Cup Semi Final match between New Zealand and South Africa at Eden Park on March 24, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

THE Sydney Thunder are launching an all-out bid to bring the world’s best batman, AB de Villiers, to the Big Bash League next season.

As the Thunder prepare for the biggest game in their history against the Sixers on Saturday, The Daily Telegraph can reveal that contact has already been made with de Villiers’ management.

The Thunder have a strong South African connection through star all-rounder Jacques Kallis and coach Paddy Upton, with the Western Sydney franchise a perfect fit for a batsman who has demolished bowling attacks around the world.

With Melbourne Renegades star Chris Gayle not welcome back in Australia next year, de Villiers could become the highest profile full-time player in the competition.

The Thunder will need to restock their ranks next season with captain Mike Hussey retiring and agreements regarding the futures of Andre Russell and Kallis yet to be reached.

Not that several other Big Bash clubs won’t give them a run for their money. It’s understood de Villiers has previously shown interest in joining rivals the Sydney Sixers.

But with de Villiers having previously worked directly with Upton in the South African set-up, the former strugglers from the west are ready to pounce.

De Villiers is only 31 years old and at the peak of his powers, but he yesterday fanned talks of retirement from Test cricket at the end of South Africa’s series against England.

He has taken over the Proteas Test captaincy after Hashim Amla stepped down from the role, but admitted he is “not sure” if he will remain in the position for any length of time.

Rumours began surfacing early in the series that de Villiers was considering quitting Test cricket and he admitted there is “a bit of truth” to them.

Bringing de Villiers to the Big Bash would be a huge draw.

Initial reports cited internal politics within Cricket South Africa as the major reason, but de Villiers said it had more to do with the workload on international cricketers.

“For two or three years I’ve been searching for the right answers to play a little less cricket in one way or another, to keep myself fresh and enjoying the game,” he said yesterday.

“Every now and then I find I am not enjoying myself as much as I should be. I’ve been talking to a few people and obviously that’s leaked.

“I’m still very committed to the job — the two Test matches now is all that I am focusing on. There’s a nice big break of six months before we play Test cricket again and lots of things can happen before then. But for now I am as committed as I can be and very hungry to make a success of these two Test matches.”

He also said the financial lure of T20 competitions was tempting.

“There are big tournaments going on around the world and some of them you can’t ignore because financially they make a huge difference in our lives,’’ de Villiers said.

“But international cricket comes first and one or two things will have to happen in the future in order for that to happen.”