AB de Villiers names Virat Kohli among the 5 Indian players he wants to see in the SA20 league
The long-awaited 2025 release SA20 The league is scheduled to begin on January 9 at St George’s Park, Gqeberha, s Sunrises eastern cape coping MI Cape Town in the opening match. This season marks a significant milestone as Dinesh Karthik becomes the first Indian cricketer to feature in the league, playing for Paarl Royalsthe sister franchise of the IPL Rajasthan Royals.
AB de Villiers expresses desire for Indian players in SA20
A legend of South African cricket AB de Villierswho serves as the league’s brand ambassador, expressed his delight at the Indian players participating in the SA20. In a recent media interaction, De Villiers praised the inclusion of Karthik and hoped that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would allow more Indian cricketers to join the tournament in future.
“I would like to see more Indian players involved. We know Dinesh Karthik will be here this year, which is fantastic and great for the tournament. We hope the BCCI will allow us to get more Indian players in the future to join the SA20 fun,” De Villiers said.
READ ALSO: South African legend Allan Donald picks two Indian stars he would like to see in the SA20 league
De Villiers picks five Indian stars to feature in the tournament
While acknowledging the challenges posed by the current BCCI policy, which restricts active Indian players from competing in overseas leagues, De Villiers shared his dream picks for the SA20. He expressed his desire to see Indian players, especially those at the peak of their careers, participating in the SA20 league, emphasizing the excitement and quality they would bring. De Villiers highlighted his top picks from the current batch of Indian cricketers, the appointment Jasprit BumrahRishabh Pant, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gilland Suryakumar Yadav as players he would like to see in action in South Africa.
“It would be nice to see some Indian players, especially at the peak of their career, come and play. If I had to choose, I would choose all the current players: Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Virat, Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav,” he revealed.
De Villiers highlighted the excitement that players like Suryakumar could bring to the league.
“Imagine SKY playing here — that would be amazing!” De Villiers exclaimed.
De Villiers is looking for some retired Indian players
De Villiers looked at former Indian cricketers who could bring value to the SA20 league, naming Robin Uthappa and Irfan Pathan as potential players he would like to see feature. He noted that some of these retired stars are already active in various Masters leagues around the world, showcasing their enduring skills and appeal.
“If I think about past players, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik or maybe even Irfan Pathan come to mind. Some of these players are already participating in Masters leagues around the world,” he added.
Also READ: From Kevin Pietersen to AB de Villiers: Here’s the elite panel of commentators for SA20 2025.
