SA20 reignited passion for cricket in South Africa: Robin Uthappa

Former India cricketer and broadcaster for SA20, Robin Uthappa, speaking exclusively with SA20, shared his thoughts on various aspects of the league and his experiences. He talked on several topics starting from the tournament as a whole to him being back in South Africa. 

Uthappa also spoke about the young players in the SA20 league, he mentioned that players should play in both IPL and SA20 and that it should be both ways, IPL players should play in SA20 and the other way round. 

On the standard of the SA20 tournament, Robin Uthappa said, "I think the standard has been pretty phenomenal. 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. The crowds, the atmosphere, and the energy here have been phenomenal. The grounds we play at are just so beautiful. Paarl is a fantastic venue to play cricket at. I think overall, this is incredibly exciting for South African cricket, and I'm certain it will go from strength to strength from here."

"I think it should be both ways—SA20 players playing in the IPL and IPL players playing in SA20. It would do cricket a world of good. I think the fact that this tournament has come about and it's been owned predominantly by the IPL franchise owners shows you that there's enough and more talent here in South Africa. We've seen the young ones like Luandri Pretorius, who has been phenomenal, and I think there's oodles of talent here ready to be discovered," Uthappa added. 

The former India cricketer also emphasised on England legends like Joe Root playing in SA20 and the future of international players in T20 leagues, "The experience isn’t just today. As a broadcaster, for me, I’ve felt the energy at every venue I've been to. You can feel the energy at different grounds, and you know this is a very exciting time here. The crowds come in, even on weekdays, and the grounds are getting filled up. The excitement is there. I think it’s reignited the passion for cricket in this country, and I’m certain that many players will be noticing that. 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."

Talking about SA20 being a preparatory platform for the Champions Trophy, Uthappa mentioned how the wickets will play a role in preparing players for the much-awaited clash to be held in February. "Well, it depends. It’s the venues, right? And by the looks of the couple of venues I’ve broadcasted at, the wickets have been slightly slower than normal—what you generally see in South Africa. So certainly, I think it will be good preparation for the Champions Trophy that's coming up."

On Dinesh Karthik playing in SA20, Robin said, "A whole lot of entertainment. DK, I think, is one of the most pleasing batters to watch, and I'm one of the biggest fans of his batting. I have been always, ever since we were teenagers playing together. He's a sprightly young fellow still. He's got the energy, making a lot of noise behind the stumps, and he's doing well for himself. I'm pretty happy his team is at the top of the table."

On being asked whether he would like to play in SA20, the former cricketer said , "I've been asking, when! I'm ready to go."

Robin Uthappa also spoke about him being back in South Africa and his memories: "It's been phenomenal being back here. It seems like I've forgotten how beautiful this country is, and everywhere I go, I can't stop saying, 'Wow, this place is paradise.' I love it. Durban's got some incredible memories for me. Coming back to this ground just brings back so many fond memories. 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. Even the hotels nearby, the ones we stayed at—though, unfortunately, we’re not staying there as a broadcast team now—bring back great memories."