Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has in a way opened up the possibility for Indian players to stop playing at home and participate in franchise T20 leagues abroad, raising hopes that more and more Indian players will seek their fortune in similar leagues in the future. While BCCI rules prohibit Indian players from playing in foreign T20 leagues, former South African player and SA20 ambassador Allan Donald says he would like to see Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah one day play in the SA20 League, South Africa’s domestic T20 league.
Karthik will play for Paarl Royals in the upcoming third season of SA20, which will run from January 9 to February 8, 2025.
Speaking about which Indian players he would like to see in the SA20, SA20 ambassador and South African fast bowling legend Donald said: “Oh my gosh, this is… where do I start? Where should I start finding a player from there? Oh my God” I, oh my God. If it’s the batter, it’s Virat Kohli. Let’s say it’s a bowler, 100 percent (Jaspreet) Oh my God, you can do it. Imagine this? Can you think of any Indian players and I would be allowed to pick one? Oh my god, that would be the most special.”
“This will just take it to another level. This adds another layer to how big this tournament can be if you’re allowed to. Imagine two – oh, imagine two per team. But we will leave it at the same level. “I will definitely have these two players – Kohli and Bumrah. If I have to choose between being a batter or a bowler, I am 100 percent confident,” Donald said in an online meeting organized by SA20 India on Monday.
Speaking about Karthik’s involvement in SA20, Donald, who is assistant coach of the Durban Super Giants, said: “I think ever since I saw him join the team, I think it’s amazing. It’s really amazing that an absolute Indian legend is a guy who to me is such a smart cricketer, I really enjoy listening to his comments. I think he’s just a breath of fresh air. And it’s great to see an Indian guy, a former national team player. – a guy who has a wealth of experience in IPL – signing. It will be great to see him play if he does play.
Donald, known around the world as ‘White Lightning’ for his fiery pace that baffled international cricketers for over a decade following South Africa’s return from apartheid ban, said Karthik playing in SA20 is a great thing for young cricketers.
“Young cricketers, like everywhere else in the world, look up to Indian superstars, the Indian Premier League and what it stands for. It gets bigger, better and faster. And have one of your players playing SA20. It’s just a masterstroke. I think that’s great. He is still a good cricketer. And I think I’m just listening to him being there and doing his thing. India and the SA20 promotion – I thought it was… He was absolutely brilliant. It would be great if he were around. It will certainly mean a lot to young cricketers,” said Donald, who retired from Test cricket with 330 wickets in 72 Tests and 272 scalps in 164 ODIs.
Since his retirement, Donald has worked as a bowling coach and consultant for the England national team, Warwickshire and Kent cricket clubs, the Zimbabwe and South African national teams, and the Bangladesh and Sri Lanka national teams.
In the IPL, he was the bowling coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2011 and the bowling coach and head coach of Pune Warriors India in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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