Graeme Smith has hailed the Indian Premier League as one of the biggest sports leagues in the world, drawing on his own experience as a championship-winning player in 2008 to highlight how far the competition has evolved. The former South Africa captain, now SA20 League commissioner, made the remarks at the SA20 India Day event in Mumbai.​

IPL’s Global Stature

Smith didn’t mince words about the IPL’s position in global sports. “I think a lot of people forget the early years of the IPL. There were many things that had to go well for the league to grow the way it did. The IPL is now one of the biggest leagues in the world across all sports,” he stated.​

The 44-year-old’s perspective carries weight—he was part of the Rajasthan Royals squad that won the inaugural IPL title in 2008 under Shane Warne’s captaincy, witnessing firsthand the league’s formative years.​

From Player to Commissioner

Smith played 29 IPL matches across four seasons, amassing 739 runs with four fifties. Beyond his three seasons with Rajasthan Royals (2008-2010), he also represented Pune Warriors in 2011 before international commitments took priority.​

Now as SA20 commissioner, Smith is applying lessons learned from the IPL’s blueprint to build South Africa’s premier T20 competition, which has completed three successful seasons.​

Strong Local Base Key

Smith emphasized that nurturing domestic talent has been crucial to both leagues’ success. “The most important thing at the core of everything is always the cricket product. Every year the cricket gets stronger and the local player base keeps growing. That has also been the strength of the IPL,” he explained.​

Drawing parallels with SA20’s development, Smith added: “When I think back to 2008, the first season of the IPL when I played for Rajasthan Royals, and then look at how the generation of Indian talent has grown, it shows what a strong local base can do. That is what we want to see at SA20 as well, along with world-class players”.​

India’s Role in SA20

Smith acknowledged India’s central role in SA20’s growth trajectory. All six SA20 franchises are owned by IPL stakeholders, creating seamless crossover for Indian audiences who already follow these teams.​

“India has been at the heart of SA20’s journey from the start. The support of the IPL-owned teams and our partnership with JioStar has been vital. The passion and energy of Indian fans inspire us every season, and their connection has played a huge role in the league’s growth,” Smith said.​

Rebuilding South African Cricket

Beyond commerce, Smith sees SA20 as instrumental in revitalizing South African cricket domestically. “Creating SA20 was about rebuilding South African cricket – bringing fans back to stadiums and strengthening our player pool. We were fortunate to attract six IPL franchises whose support has been crucial in the league’s successful first three seasons,” he stated.​

“The results have exceeded expectations, with both our men’s and women’s national teams showing significant improvement,” the former captain added.​

SA20’s Growth Trajectory

Smith drew hope from SA20’s early progress, noting parallels with the IPL’s formative years. “In our first three seasons, we have seen strong growth in many areas at SA20 and hopefully that will continue,” he said.​

The league’s continued partnership with JioStar has boosted visibility in India, making SA20 a regular part of the country’s expanding T20 calendar and attracting significant Indian viewership.​

With the fourth SA20 season approaching, Smith’s endorsement of the IPL model and emphasis on local talent development signals his belief that replicating the Indian league’s success requires patience, quality cricket, and strong domestic foundations.