Last Updated: January 20, 2023, 2:48 PM IST
Can we see MS Dhoni in SA 20 in near future?
Imagine MS Dhoni or Yuvraj Singh playing in Cape Town or Johannesburg or East London? The ratings were bound to go high! So, will SA 20 think of having some of the former cricketers from India in the near future?
SA 20 is going through its very first season and things are surely looking bright for the newest franchise league in town. The league was precariously placed with several other franchise leagues like International T20 League and Big Bash League all clashing as it kick started on Jan 10, in-fact it clashed with the time slots of the UAE based ILT20! Nonetheless, the Grame Smith-led Cricket South Africa had managed to pull the crowds with the effective organisation skills. Moreover, it is the amount of talent that’s on display that has been the real crowd puller.
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However, imagine MS Dhoni or Yuvraj Singh playing in Cape Town or Johannesburg or East London? The ratings were bound to go high! So, will SA 20 think of having some of the former cricketers from India in the near future?
“Listen it will be amazing to have a player like MS, but we always work with and respect BCCI’s decision. The fact that we created a really good working relationship with them. We have been able to talk and learn since they have done numerous such events over the years. It’s a great relationship to have,” former South Africa captain and league commissioner Graeme Smith told a select group of journalists.
“Look from our perspective, one thing we really wanted to build was vibrant, young, up and coming competitive league, so someone like MS will surely add a lot of value. He has been able to perform for a very long time and he is an extreme professional.”
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“He will bring levels that we will be extremely proud to have, so if there is ever an opportunity, I will be reaching to Mahi,” he said.
Meanwhile, he also mentioned how picking teams is not their forte when this correspondent pushed him on the issue of former players like Yuvraj or MSD playing or even mentoring a SA 20 franchise.
“Look I have got all the respect for all those players. I guess our franchisees are very experienced, they are one of the most successful franchise base in the world. They know how to run the team, they know what type of players they are looking for. And have been successful in recruiting players and deciding how they want to play. So, ultimately it will be upto them to select the team and we don’t get involved in selection. We just create the platform for as many players. And then the teams must decide who they want to pick and who they want to play.”
“But from the perspective of some of the names you mentioned, I mean world-class cricketers and they did magnificent things for India and world. So that would always be something we would look to associate with,” he signed off.
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