Despite WTC crown, SA spinner Harmer says BCCI’s ‘commercial power’ rules world cricket

South Africa ended their ICC trophy drought with their maiden World Test Championship (WTC) crown last year at Lord’s, where they beat Australia by five wickets. Later in the year, they also whitewashed India (beating them 2-0) in India for the first time in over two decades, scripting history. While 2025 was clearly South Africa’s year, their frontline spinner Simon Harmer had reservations against the Indian Cricket Board’s growing influence, saying that the BCCI controls the apex body, the ICC, but what can anyone do about it?

Speaking to The Guardian, the right-arm spinner, who returned with 17 wickets across four innings in India, underlined India’s dominance in world cricket and how, by controlling the commercial and administrative aspects of it, it stands tall as the game’s reigning king.

Harmer, however, also argued that the Proteas’ WTC title win hadn’t significantly altered the global balance.

“Because of their commercial power, they have all of the power,” Harmer said in a chat with The Guardian. “The BCCI control the ICC. But what can we do? As a player, you just control the controllables. The only thing that changes the narrative is winning trophies.”

While the domestic giant also spoke highly of his team’s rise as a threatening Test unit, Harmer praised head coach Shukri Conrad for calling a spade a spade.

“That team is more than the sum of its parts with only a couple of superstars,” he said. On Conrad, Harmer said, “If he thinks you’re shit, he’ll tell you straight. I rate that. I’ve not always had that.”

South Africa’s 2026 schedule

The reigning WTC champions will begin their 2026 campaign against the mighty Aussies in a three-match Test series at home, for the first time since 2018, the year of the infamous 'Sandpaper-gate' scandal. After hosting Australia across three Tests, South Africa will also host Bangladesh and England during the packed home season.

As things stand, South Africa is third on the 2025-27 WTC rankings, with a point percentage of 75. Australia and New Zealand are ahead of the Proteas. However, on ICC’s Test rankings, the Proteas are second on the table (after Australia), and 15 points ahead of the third-placed India.