SA20: AB de Villiers offers valuable piece of advice to youngsters participating in ongoing tournament

Former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers has explained how the introduction of the SA20 will help in nurturing and developing the careers of the emerging cricketers in the long run. Notably, all the six participating franchises are owned by the businesses that own teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and most of the players selected are seasoned campaigners in the marquee T20 tournament.

At the same time, de Villiers has also shared his personal experiences of playing in the IPL and how it has helped him in taking his game to the next level and also learning different cultures of the world. 

The veteran batter represented the now-defunct Delhi Daredevils between 2008 to 2010 and then had a memorable and extended outing with Royal Challengers Bangalore for a decade i.e. 2011-2021.

I had that experience in 2008 during my very first year in IPL: AB de Villiers

“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 to ESPNcricinfo.

“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,” the batting icon further added.

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