Play dirt — Proteas’ T20 series against India seems to be a calculated bid for a quick buck

India’s Axar Patel celebrates after dismissing Tristan Stubbs of South Africa during the World Cup final. Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

10 Nov 2024

The T20I series was a late decision and comes amid a hectic Test schedule, but the financial incentive might have been too good.

The Proteas’ opening series of the summer, the continuing T20I series against India, seems to have been scheduled almost exclusively for the financial benefit Cricket South Africa (CSA) will gain from it.

The four-match series will rake in at least R600-million for the organisation’s coffers through the sale of the broadcast rights to the Indian market, since CSA makes about $8-million each time it hosts a cricket match against India. This makes any incoming tour a priority.

The T20I series has been squeezed into a packed Test match schedule. Both South Africa and India – along with Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka – are in a dogfight to secure one of the two spots for the final of the ICC World Test Championship in June 2025.

India lost a three-match Test series to New Zealand in the past week, and will face Australia Down Under in a five-match Test from 22 November. South Africa, similarly, are coming off a Test series against Bangladesh – which they won 2-0 – before they tackle Sri Lanka in a two-match series at home starting on 27 November.

Despite this, the T20I series between the two sides has been sandwiched in.

Unlike the two Test series, which have been on the cricketing calendar since May 2023 as part of the Future Tours Programme, the T20I series between South Africa and India was scheduled far more recently and only announced in June.

Read more: Proteas audition for IPL mega auction against India in T20I series

That the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and CSA agreed to a T20 series and not a one-day international (ODI) series – with an equal number of matches in the 50-over format producing the same income – exemplifies that the series seems to be little more than a quick buck for the host country.

Neither country has a major T20 competition to prepare for, whereas the first edition of the ICC Champions Trophy (a 50-over tournament) in eight years takes place in three months.

Comparatively, the next major T20I tournament is in February 2026 when the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

Financial gain

South Africa, like every cricket-playing country in the world, is financially heavily dependent on hosting matches against India.

White-ball matches bring in the most money in the shortest time, particularly T20 cricket, which can be wrapped up within three hours.

Each match India plays in South Africa is worth R150-million in broadcast revenue, regardless of the format. South Africa playing one five-day Test match or a three-hour T20I generates the same income.

That’s why fitting four T20I matches into seven days is the quickest way to generate big money quickly.

Cricket’s priorities across the globe have shifted firmly over the past decade from the Test to T20 format. At this stage, Test cricket is holding on thanks to its history and prestige, as well as the monetary lifeline provided by the shortest format.

CSA reported a huge total revenue of R1.89-billion for the previous financial year. More than R1-billion of that was generated through South Africa hosting India for eight matches in December 2023 and January 2024.

This is the third successive season in which the Proteas are hosting at least one format of matches against India – more than they have hosted any other country during that period.

In the 2022-23 financial year, CSA had total revenue of R700-million – aided hugely by India’s white-ball tour to South Africa.

Proteas India India’s Axar Patel celebrates after dismissing Tristan Stubbs of South Africa during the World Cup final. (Photo: Gareth Copley / Getty Images)

“I would like to thank the BCCI for its continued support of South Africa’s cricket and world cricket in general,” said Lawson Naidoo, CSA chairperson at the time, at the announcement of India’s T20I tour.

South Africa, at least in the Test format, will remain an appealing destination to tour until India break their duck in the country. It is the only country in which they have never won a Test series. They beat Australia 2-1 in Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2020/21, which left South Africa as the last nation to conquer.

India’s continued visits to the country in the white-ball format are thanks to CSA’s cordial relationship with the BCCI and the benevolence it has shown thus far.

Pearl Maphoshe has replaced Naidoo as CSA chairperson, and her relationship with the upper echelon of the BCCI will be pivotal in determining the frequency of India’s future tours to South Africa – and the CSA’s financial profits.

Next in line

South Africa’s three-week-long, eight-match white-ball series against Afghanistan and Ireland in September and October – like the T20I series against India – was not part of the Future Tours Programme.

Instead, it was squeezed into a two-month break during which the Proteas had no other international cricket lined up, and used as an opportunity for the team’s white ball coach, Rob Walter, to test younger players.

Ottneil Baartman, Nqabayomzi Peter and Jason Smith all made their ODI debut during their time in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while several fringe white-ball players, including Ryan Rickelton, Patrick Kruger, Lizaad Williams and Kyle Verreynne, were given a run.

Andile Simelane was even taken along as part of the squad as a “high-potential talent” to gain experience.

Similarly, South Africa’s squad to face India includes uncapped fast-bowling all-rounders Mihlali Mpongwana and Simelane. Lutho Sipamla has also made a return to the international cricket fold for the first time since the start of 2022.

Walter was recently asked about the absence of fast-bowling ace Anrich Nortje. His answer emphasised his focus on long-term planning, highlighting the insignificance of a series’ result, such as in the UAE where the Proteas only won four out of eight matches. “It was a tough decision but I felt like I wanted to prioritise giving opportunities to the younger fast bowlers in the group,” he said.

“Anrich is a seasoned campaigner now. He’s also involved in a lot of the T20 leagues around the world. We know what we get with him.”

Walter added: “We wanted to continue this quest of ours to build a base and give experience to our younger players. In this instance, we have a couple of younger, inexperienced fast bowlers who need to play against quality opposition.”

India are equally experimental, with their side, captained by Suryakumar Yadav, missing several big names from the team that clinched the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup this year. They include Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah.

Even though several superstars are missing from both sides, the financial viability of the series remains intact. For CSA’s financial sake, it seems as if it needs to take every opportunity possible to host India, the leading monetary force in world cricket. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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