SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith has expressed his desire to see more Indian players feature in South Africa’s premier T20 league in the future. Speaking in Mumbai on Wednesday, the former Proteas captain acknowledged the popularity and quality of Indian cricketers and said the league’s management continues to work closely with the BCCI to explore possibilities within the existing framework.
So far, Dinesh Karthik remains the only Indian cricketer to have played in the SA20, turning out for Paarl Royals in the previous season after retiring from all forms of Indian cricket. Notably, the BCCI’s policy currently prevents active Indian players, including those participating in domestic tournaments and the IPL, from competing in overseas leagues.
“Firstly, we would love to have more Indian players [in SA20]. I think whenever India play in South Africa, you can see the love for the Indian team. The talent is incredible. I think we will continue to work with the BCCI on these things. And I think if that ever changes with the six IPL franchises, I think we’re perfectly suited to be able to attract Indian players. Those type of contracts with Dinesh signing with Paarl Royals is always a direct deal between the franchise [and the player],” Smith said in Mumbai on Wednesday.
“And I think, obviously, with retired players and more retired players coming, it’s a balance between attracting that retired Indian player but still keeping your league competitive. And our franchises really want to win, as you’ve experienced in IPL and in SA20. So they’re always looking for the best players who can perform consistently,” he added.
The upcoming fourth edition of the SA20 will be played from December 26, 2025, to January 25, 2026, across six South African cities. Traditionally, South Africa have hosted a Boxing Day Test starting December 26, but this season, the date will mark the beginning of the T20 tournament.
Smith explains reason behind SA20’s new schedule
South Africa will be in India for a full series running from mid-November to December 19, which leaves only a week’s gap before the SA20 begins.
“Yeah, it’s actually always been the case, though, in this cycle, that Cricket South Africa never had international cricket in this window. The South African team is here [in India] until 20 December. And then SA20 is now taking place there. And then there’s the T20 World Cup here in India in February. So it was a very small window. And I don’t think South African cricket ever had a tour lined up, never mind being WTC champions. I think this goes back years in terms of the FTP cycle,” Smith said.
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