SA20 helped South Africa develop squad depth like India: Du Plessis

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis believes SA20 has expanded the country's talent pool, allowing them to field strong second or third-string teams like India.

Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis believes his country now has enough depth to field second or third-string sides like India thanks to SA20, which has helped in expanding the talent pool besides creating more opportunities for players globally.

''India can pick a second or third-string team because of their depth, and you can now say the same about South Africa,'' du Plessis told SA20 on his return after a broadcasting stint in the IPL.

With 21 South African players involved in IPL this year, including 17 picked initially through retention or auction, du Plessis said the domestic T20 competition helped franchises identify talent beyond the country's established international names.

''People are finally seeing the depth of the talent pool in South Africa,'' he said.

Du Plessis also linked South Africa's growing standing in world cricket to recent international performances, including strong white-ball campaigns and the World Test Championship triumph, saying those achievements had brought the country back into the global spotlight.

South African players have increasingly found opportunities across franchise leagues in recent years, with Connor Esterhuizen earning an IPL replacement contract with Gujarat Titans, while Dian Forrester securing opportunities after performances in SA20.

''With the SA20 being broadcast to the whole world over the last four years, everyone can see there is so much more talent beyond the starting XI,'' du Plessis said.

The 41-year-old, who recently spent time in commentary during IPL while recovering from injury, said he remains committed to playing and is expected to return for the next SA20 season, which will run from January 9 to February 14, 2027.