England Test Stars Set to Join ILT20 and SA20 Leagues in 2025

England's Test players are set to make a significant impact on the upcoming seasons of the ILT20 and SA20 leagues. After missing the second seasons of both tournaments due to their tour of India, several Test stars are now being targeted by franchises.

Joe Root has already been unveiled as a new signing by Paarl Royals in the SA20, and ESPNcricinfo reports that other Test players have also attracted interest. The Telegraph claims that Ben Stokes, who has not played limited-overs cricket since the 2019 World Cup, has been offered a lucrative contract by MI Cape Town.

England's managing director, Rob Key, has acknowledged that lucrative offers from franchise leagues have influenced the decision to award multi-year central contracts to players. With Stokes' England contract expiring in September, he could use similar offers as leverage.

While England will play T20I and ODI series in India early next year, their winter Test tours to Pakistan and New Zealand will conclude before Christmas. This means that players not involved in those limited-overs squads will be available for the full seasons of the ILT20 or SA20.

Root's availability for the SA20 is uncertain, as his England future in white-ball cricket remains unclear. However, he should be available for the majority of the tournament even if selected for the ODI series in India.

The ILT20 and SA20 leagues, backed by Indian investors, have transformed the franchise landscape by offering substantial salaries to overseas players during the southern-hemisphere summer. Both leagues will run from mid-January to early February in 2025.

Jamie Smith, who made his Test debut recently, has been retained by Gulf Giants in the ILT20 and was also targeted by Pretoria Capitals in the SA20. Like other young players such as Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Ollie Pope, Smith has aspirations to break into England's white-ball team but can rely on franchise cricket as a fallback option.

Root's experience and versatility will be valuable for Paarl Royals, according to their global director of cricket, Kumar Sangakkara. Sangakkara praised Root's all-around abilities, including his bowling and fielding.

Tags: #EnglandCricket, #ILT20, #SA20, #JoeRoot, #BenStokes