ABdV hit by 'extreme, debilitating' illness

South African star AB de Villiers is set to play on Saturday despite being hit by a "debilitating" viral flu that forced him to stay in his hotel for most of this week.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore face a crucial clash against Chennai on Saturday, a match RCB all but need to win to keep the play-off hopes alive.

De Villiers has missed the past two matches due to illness, the severity of which he revealed in a column for Times of India on Friday.

"The last four days have been a blur I have been suffering from severe viral flu, one of the most debilitating illnesses I have ever experienced," he wrote.

"Aside from one visit to the hospital, I have barely left my hotel room. Sleep has been almost impossible, and the migraine headaches have been extreme.

"It was frustrating for me to miss two home matches at the Chinnaswamy, but I was able to follow both games on television ... even if, to be honest, most of the time, it was only possible to watch with one eye open because of the throbbing pain in my head.

"The good news is that my condition is now improving every day and‚ as the aches ease and I start to get some proper sleep‚ we are very hopeful that I will be available for selection to play (against Chennai)."

While de Villiers is set to return, RCB will be without his countryman Quinton de Kock for the clash in Pune 

"Quinton has returned home for a wedding so he is unavailable for this match," coach Daniel Vettori said.

RCB are sixth on the ladder with three wins from eight games and currently sit two victories outside the top four. Chennai, meanwhile, could move back to the top of the ladder with a seventh win of the tournament.

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