NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer and current SA20 broadcaster Robin Uthappa has lavished praise on the SA20 league, describing it as a game-changer for cricket in South Africa.
Reflecting on his experiences with the league, Uthappa shared insights into the tournament’s growing reputation, its role in nurturing talent, and his personal connection to South African cricket.
Uthappa, a veteran of T20 cricket, didn’t mince words when evaluating the league. “I concur with Dinesh; I think it’s possibly the second-best tournament as far as cricket quality is concerned in T20 leagues after the IPL. I think the cricket is great,” he said.
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From packed stands to electrifying energy across venues, Uthappa believes SA20 has rekindled South Africa’s love for the sport. “The crowds, the atmosphere, the energy here have been phenomenal. The grounds we play at are just so beautiful.”
The league’s role in unearthing new talent was another highlight for Uthappa, who pointed to players like Lhuan-dre Pretorius as evidence of the depth of cricketing talent in South Africa.
He advocated for greater player exchanges between leagues, suggesting that both IPL and SA20 players could benefit from cross-league participation. “We’ve seen the young ones like Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who has been phenomenal, and I think there’s oodles of talent here ready to be discovered,” he added.
Uthappa also celebrated the participation of international stars like Joe Root and the increasing draw of SA20 for overseas players. “Players from different leagues around the world will be discussing how good the quality of cricket is here, and I think you’ll see a lot more international cricketers coming in,” he remarked, predicting an influx of global talent in future editions.
Reflecting on his return to South Africa, Uthappa recalled fond memories from the 2007 T20 World Cup in Durban, where he made his international T20 debut. “That first game against Pakistan—well, our first game was actually against Scotland, and then we played Pakistan. A bunch of us made our T20I debuts in that game, so it was a lot of fun. Fond memories from that game, but also from the entire tournament. That 2007 World Cup for us was phenomenal, and every game here at Durban was a lot of fun,” he shared, expressing a sense of awe and nostalgia for the country’s beauty and his career milestones achieved there.
For now, Uthappa is content enjoying the league as a broadcaster, but his cheeky response to whether he’d consider playing in SA20 was telling: “I’ve been asking, when! I’m ready to go.”