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AB De Villiers Feels We'll 'Gradually See' Indian Players Featuring More In SA20
Follow UsThe first two editions of the SA20 did not feature any Indian players but in the ongoing edition of the SA20, Dinesh Karthik represented Paarl Royals
Former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers admitted he wishes to see a lot more Indian participation in the SA20 and asserted that he can certainly see a lot more Indian players featuring in the competition in the years to come.
The first two editions of the SA20 did not feature any Indian players but in the ongoing edition of the SA20, Dinesh Karthik represented the Paarl Royals.
The 39-year-old did not have the greatest of seasons with the bat in hand, but his participation has paved the way for several other Indian players to follow suit in the years to come.
“I really wish that we can have more of our Indian friends over there in the tournament,” de Villiers said, reported News18.
“I can see it happening, but it’s not going to explode just right away in Season 4. I think it will gradually, slowly but surely get there.”
Active Indian players, however, cannot participate in any T20 leagues outside the Indian Premier League (IPL) and de Villiers admitted that, given the power the BCCI hold, he knows that realistically no ‘top’ Indian player will be able to participate in South Africa’s premier T20 competition.
“Absolutely, I’ve no idea whether it’s going to work or not. We know that sometimes the BCCI—no, not sometimes, they are a very powerful board,” he said.
“They know what they’re doing. They’ve been the biggest board in the world for many years now; they make good decisions on behalf of players and the business they’re running.”
The SA20 is quickly gathering pace and reputation as the second-best league in the world, and de Villiers drew parallels to the IPL. He claimed that the SA20 is turning itself into a competition that every top player wants to be a part of.
“Every year, I arrive here and see players I’ve never heard of who look like they’ve been around for ages. I picked this up at the IPL many years ago and would always come back home and tell my parents, my wife, and my friends, ‘Listen, I don’t know how they do it, but every year there are these incredibly talented players that come through,” he said.
“I’ve seen it firsthand as a former player and as a commentator that we’ve got that same system going. The fact that overseas players—not just any, but quality players—are coming over to play cricket here tells me that they want to be involved with this tournament," he added.