Heinrich Klaasen said cricket will not follow football’s club-driven model despite the rapid rise of franchise leagues, pointing to the influence of boards and the ICC.
The former South Africa batter, who now focuses on franchise cricket, said the sport is moving towards a system where players build careers across leagues. He linked that shift to financial realities and limited opportunities at international level.
Klaasen said, “I think cricket wants to go the football way. But cricket purists, especially in India, England, Australia, South Africa and probably New Zealand, will never let that happen. They will want Test cricket to stay.”
He added, “With strong bodies like the BCCI and ICC, the decision to just play T20 cricket around the world and allow international cricket for only two months of the year will never happen.”
Klaasen explained his decision to step away from international cricket. He said, “Sometimes it’s difficult to get into an international team, or it doesn’t pay as well. It’s obviously a business and you want to look after your family and your life, and you have only got a certain amount of time to do it in.”
He expects more players to follow the same path as leagues expand. He said T20 cricket now drives tactical changes across formats, with teams adopting more aggressive methods.
Klaasen said, “It’s probably the format that’s going to stay the longest from now on. The other formats will either slow down a little bit or be limited.”
He added, “The game of cricket evolves and I think T20 cricket has forced other formats to be played differently as well. If you want to grow the game of cricket, it’s definitely the format to do it with.”
He also pointed to changes in coaching. He said modern coaches adapt to players who train and compete in fast-paced formats, while still keeping core cricket skills in place.
