AB de Villiers, a former captain of South Africa, has discussed how the long-term development of young cricketers' careers will be aided by the introduction of the SA20. Notably, the six participating franchises are all owned by organizations that operate teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and the majority of the players chosen have previous experience competing in the premier T20 competition.
De Villiers has also talked about his personal experiences playing in the IPL, including how it helped him advance his skills and improve the game to another level.
“It is difficult to explain the value of the youngsters spending time with some of the best players in the world from different countries. I had that experience in 2008 during my very first year in IPL. I found myself in the same dressing room with the likes of Glenn McGrath, Daniel Vettori. The list goes on- Shoaib Malik, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Virender Sehwag. I mean I can go on for days,” said AB de Villiers while speaking on a TV show.
“The impact that it had on my cricket was immense. You saw my game grow from 2008 onwards and I took it to the next level and largely because of that. Spending time with the experienced campaigners and people from different countries and cultures. We have picked up different tips and hints on what I can do with my own game,” he added.
“It is important to have that kind of mindset for the youngsters in this SA20 league and to keep your eyes open, look at how people prepare and some of the best players in the world and you don’t have to adopt all of it, but if you take one or two things on board every season you play in leagues like these, then your game will ultimately get a lot better,” he further added.