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The long awaited third edition of the SA20 cricket league kicks off on Thursday (January 9), with an exciting opener between the defending champions. Sunrisers Eastern Cape i MI Cape Town in Sant Jordi de Gqeberha park. As excitement builds for the tournament, SA20 brand ambassador and legendary South African cricketer AB de Villiers shared his thoughts with select media outlets, offering insight into the league’s potential and players to watch.
AB de Villiers player to watch in SA20 2025
When asked about a player of note for SA20 Season 3, De Villiers did not hesitate to name Donovan Ferreira, a hard-hitting South African batsman and a new recruit for the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the upcoming IPL 2025. Ferreira, who was bought for INR 75 lakh in the IPL 2025 mega auction, went from Rajasthan Royals (RR) in delhi representative Joburg Super Kings in the SA20, the sister franchise of Chennai Super Kings (CSK)Ferreira has caught the attention of cricket pundits.
“I think one player that stands out, and I haven’t talked about him often in the past, is Donovan Ferreira. And the only sad thing is that it beats too low to really show its true potential. He is that they are all a bit older, where Donovan Ferreira is not the youngest either. But I haven’t seen enough of him and I wish they could push him to #3 or #4 every now and then so we can see what he’s really capable of. So this will be my choice. Hopefully, this season, it will be his season to get more playing time and more time up the order.” De Villiers was quoted by the Khel Now.
De Villiers reiterated the importance of using Ferreira higher up the order as the batsman often arrives too late to make a substantial impact. He explained that Ferreira usually enters the game at 16 or 17, which leaves him with insufficient balls to show his full range of skills.
‘“I think he bats at No.6, and he showed a bit of what he’s capable of last season once or twice, but not enough balls. I’m really hoping he can come in at No.6, you know, and sometimes from 8, where most of the time, he just goes in at 16 or 17. He really shows his ability and then he comes out and the balls are done. So that’s a guy I’ll keep an eye on.” , added the 40-year-old.
READ also: South Africa legend Allan Donald picks two Indian stars he would like to see in the SA20 league
Comparisons with MS Dhoni and batting challenges
De Villiers, known for his ability to take 360-degree shots, made an intriguing comparison, claiming that Ferreira reminded him of MS Dhoni during his early years. Interestingly, de Villiers compared Ferreira’s batting style to Dhoni in his first note, highlighting the similar ability to dominate bowlers and strike fear into world-class players such as Dale Steyn i Mitchell Starc. While he clarified that he was not directly equating Ferreira with Dhoni, he emphasized Ferreira’s ability to hit the ball with incredible power and accuracy.
“I think he’s a match winner. Just a fantastic player. He reminds me a bit of MS Dhoni in his prime, and I’m not comparing them. I’m saying it reminds me of him where MS was really brutal, against the bowlers. He really hit the ball, all parts of the floor. He made guys like Dale Steyn and Mitchell Starke look like they are afraid to bowl with him. And that’s how I feel about Donovan. Hit the ball very hard. He’s got a really good eye and hopefully he’ll face a few more deliveries next season.” De Villiers concluded.
