There’s no doubt that the Big Bash League has seen a number of star recruits over the years. The likes of Chris Gayle, Shahid Afridi, Muttiah Muralitharan and Shakib Al Hasan have all featured in past editions of Australia’s T20 league.
The BBL has also provided a platform for cricketers around the country to make a name for themselves, with players such as D’Arcy Short, Travis Head and Jhye Richardson all earning themselves international debuts after a string of outstanding and consistent performances in the BBL.
Here are ten international recruits who would make the BBL even more exciting, none of whom have ever previously featured in Australia’s smash hit T20 league.
AB de Villiers (South Africa)
Having retired from all forms of international cricket in May, de Villiers would now be available to play in the BBL.
He is widely regarded as one of the best and most creative batsmen of the modern era, averaging just over 35 with a high score of 133 not out and 299 sixes to his name in professional T20 cricket.
His best innings at international level came in 2015 in a one-dayer against the West Indies, where he made a blistering 149 off 44 balls.
This innings broke (and still holds) the records for the fastest fifty (16 balls), hundred (31 balls) and most sixes in an innings (16) in ODI cricket. de Villiers’ record knock alone serves as a preview of his incredible capabilities and what he could bring to the BBL.
AB de Villiers surely ranks amongst the deadliest T20 cricketers in the world. (AP Photo/Theron Kirkman)
David Miller (South Africa)
Miller was the leading run-scorer in the recently concluded Australia vs South Africa ODI series, amassing 192 runs in the three-match series.
His 139 in the third match of the series is now his highest one-day international score, an innings during which he monstered 13 fours and four sixes.
Miller also holds the record for the fastest T20 international century, scoring 101 from just 35 balls against Bangladesh in October 2017. During this innings he hit seven fours and nine sixes, highlighting the power-hitting capacity that he offers at T20 level.
Evin Lewis (West Indies)
Lewis rose to international fame in 2017, first after scoring 125* from 62 balls to lead the West Indies to a T20 victory against India.
He followed this up with an outstanding Caribbean Premier League campaign during which he scored 355 runs across nine innings, including a match-winning 97* in the final as his St Kitts and Nevis Patriots chased down 129 in seven overs to win by ten wickets.
His remarkable 2017 was capped off with a sensational knock of 176* against England before retiring hurt with an ankle injury. Lewis sits equal 14th for batsmen on the ICC’s T20 player rankings.
Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan)
Zaman is perhaps less well-known than some of the world’s other leading T20 batsmen, despite sitting at fifth on the ICC’s T20 player rankings for batsmen. He made both his ODI and T20 debuts in 2017, but announced himself on the international scene with an epic knock of 210* against Zimbabwe in July.
His international T20 career has already produced over 700 runs and 4 fifties, with his strike rate among the best in the world at just under 140. Zaman would be a good option for any BBL club needing a powerful opening batsman.
Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
At only 23, Rabada has already made a name for himself at international level. Widely renowned as one of the most fiery bowlers in modern cricket, he took 6/16 (including a hat trick) on his international debut in 2015 at the age of 20.
If he were to be picked up by a Big Bash club, he would likely be able to provide the reliability and excitement of past BBL players such as Lasith Malinga, Jofra Archer and David Willey.
South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada – great in all forms of the game. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
Williamson was the leading run scorer in this year’s edition of the Indian Premier League, and has eye-catching numbers across all formats of the game. His 2018 IPL campaign boasted 735 runs in 17 innings with eight fifties and a strike rate of 142.
These numbers alone would attract many clubs, but add in Williamson’s handy off-spin bowling and fielding skill, and he is quite the package.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is one of the best in the world. (AFP PHOTO / MARTY MELVILLE)
Mohammad Shahzad (Afghanistan)
Afghanistan’s much-loved ‘keeper-batsman Shahzad provides no shortage of entertainment with both his batting and on-field persona. He has scored over 3000 T20 runs with a high score of 118* against Zimbabwe in 2016.
He topped the run-scoring charts in the inaugural Afghanistan Premier League this year, scoring 344 runs across nine innings. Shahzad also provides nifty work behind the stumps and would be a valuable addition to any BBL team looking for a ‘keeper.
MS Dhoni (India)
Dhoni has long been a fan-favourite of Indian cricket fans, largely due to his inventive strokeplay and powerful hitting abilities. Despite only having a top score of 79* from his 266 T20 innings, Dhoni averages 38.44 at this level with 24 fifties to his name.
Unfortunately, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not allow Indian players to play in overseas T20 tournaments, as they believe this could damage the popularity of their own T20 league (the IPL).
Having someone like Dhoni playing in the BBL would do no harm to the league’s popularity, potentially drawing more fans due to Dhoni’s worldwide popularity.
MS Dhoni is one of India’s only big-hitting batsmen. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Rohit Sharma (India)
Earlier this month, Sharma smashed his record 4th T20 international century, the most by any player in the world at this level. He sits ninth in the world for T20 runs with 7671, despite having only played in the IPL and for India.
In all T20s, Sharma has scored 58 fifties and six hundreds and also has three ODI double-centuries to his name, including the highest ODI score of 264.
Once again, Sharma would be an exciting and valuable addition to any BBL team, but due to the BCCI’s stance in allowing their players to play outside India, Sharma in the BBL is not possible.
Virat Kohli (India)
Kohli averages in excess of 40 in every format of the game, both international and domestic. The ‘best batsman in the world’ battle between Kohli and Steve Smith is a continuing spectacle of international cricket, but when it comes to the shorter forms of the game, it is widely accepted that he has the upper hand.
With a ridiculous ODI average of 59.83 and 38 hundreds to his name, he is ranked first in the world in both these fields. Kohli’s T20 international average sits just under 49 and with 7744 runs to his name from all T20s, sits at eighth in the world.
Like Sharma, all of Kohli’s T20 runs have been scored playing for India or in the IPL. Had he played in more T20 competitions around the world – including the BBL – Kohli would be pushing to have scored the most T20 runs out of anyone in the world.
Virat Kohli (AP Photo/Rui Vieira)
Honourable Mentions
There are many more cricketers from around the world that have a lot to offer on the T20 stage. Players such as Irish allrounder Paul Stirling and Scottish all-rounder Richie Berrington could have much to offer with their dual talents.
New Zealand’s pace trio Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson would also be valuable due to their white-ball bowling talents, while young Indian batsmen Rishabh Pant and Prithvi Shaw both starred in this year’s edition of the IPL.
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