South Africa's cricketing talent awaits breakthrough in electrifying 2025 IPL season

Heinrich Klaasen clubs the ball away in his knock of 34 off 14 deliveries for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Rajasthan Royals. (Photo: Indian Premier League)

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

25 Mar 2025

South Africa has the largest representation, outside of India, at the Indian Premier League with several players looking to make a statement.

The 2025 version of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is under way and it has taken only four matches to remind viewers why the tournament is not only the most financially lucrative franchise tournament in the world, but why it is also the most entertaining.

The IPL is littered with the best global talent alongside the elite of India’s vast array of gifted cricketers, which makes it fertile ground for riveting, gripping action.

South Africa has 17 of its own dispersed across the 10 IPL sides, which are spread far and wide across the more than three trillion square metres of the subcontinent country.

And while the tournament has been lit up, for the most part, the South African players who have had the opportunity to display their talents have not been the ones doing the lighting.

So far seven South Africans have got a run, all of them batters but none going on to make a massive contribution to their side.

Ryan Rickelton made 13 off seven deliveries in his debut IPL knock, playing for Mumbai Indians. (Photo: Indian Premier League)

Heinrich Klaasen (34 off 14) was the most impressive, adding impetus to his Sunrisers Hyderabad’s mammoth effort of 286/6 against Rajasthan Royals — the second-highest total in IPL history. The total was only one less than the 287/3 the team set last year against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Klaasen is joined by Wiaan Mulder at Sunrisers Hyderabad, who is in his maiden IPL season and will be keen to get on the field.

Young speedster Kwena Maphaka is in the Rajasthan Royals’ ranks, but perhaps fortunately he wasn’t in the playing XI who tanked all over Hyderabad.

Instead, it was Englishman Jofra Archer who conceded 76 runs in his four overs without taking a wicket to register the most expensive spell in IPL history.

Shaky start

Quinton de Kock (four off five) got off to a rocky start for his new side, Kolkata Knight Riders. In his five-ball stay at the crease against Royal Challengers Bangalore, he was completely worked over by Aussie Josh Hazlewood, who was unlucky to not have picked the South African wicket-keeper batter up earlier after a dropped catch.

Pace phenom Anrich Nortje is also at the Kolkata Knight Riders but was not selected for his side’s first match, like every other South African bowler, with only the batters getting a go at the preliminary stage of the tournament.

Lungi Ngidi is in the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s ranks but looks unlikely to get into the action, barring injury, with Hazlewood so far the standout fast bowler in the competition.

Monday’s thrilling action when Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) met saw both teams carrying two South Africans each.

However, both Aiden Markram (15 off 13) and David Miller (undefeated 27 off 19) only threatened with the willow for LSG in their total of 209/8.

Faf du Plessis (29 off 18) and Tristan Stubbs (34 off 22) both played a small role in Delhi chasing the score down with five balls to spare and one wicket in hand after the side looked dead and buried in the last five overs of the match.

Donovan Ferreira is also part of the Delhi Capitals cohort but will, in all likelihood, only get given an opportunity in place of Stubbs.

Time to shine

There are a few South Africans who have the chance to really make a name for themselves on the franchise circuit this year, and chief among them is Ryan Rickelton.

Across the last two seasons of the SA20, Rickelton has been a star performer for MI Cape Town — Mumbai Indians’ sister franchise in South Africa — and collected his first IPL contract as a result.

He struck 336 runs in just eight innings at a strike rate slightly above 178 in last month’s SA20, so is in great form in the format. He opened the batting in Mumbai’s first match against Chennai Super Kings alongside Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and knocked 13 off seven deliveries.

Heinrich Klaasen about to smash the ball in his knock of 34 off 14 deliveries for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Rajasthan Royals. (Photo: Indian Premier League)

The tournament is long — about three-months — so the 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter will have enough time to make his stamp and show the world what he can do.

All-rounder Corbin Bosch, who has had a breakthrough past few months, will also run out for Mumbai Indians, having come in as an injury replacement for compatriot Lizaad Williams.

Matthew Breetzke has similarly got his maiden opportunity at the IPL largely thanks to playing for Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20, as he now represents the Lucknow Super Giants. Breetzke is a quality batter but his T20 form has been shaky recently and he is competing for a spot at the top of LSG’s order with Markram.

South Africa’s fast bowlers who are expected to see the most action — Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen — will tackle each other today.

Rabada and Coetzee are teammates at Gujarat Titans, while Marco Jansen will play for Ricky Ponting’s Punjab Kings. Chennai Super Kings are the only side in this year’s IPL with no South Africans in its ranks. DM

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Shaky start

Time to shine