South African off-spinner Simon Harmer has offered a blunt take on the balance of power in world cricket, arguing that India’s commercial and administrative dominance continues to shape the game, even after South Africa’s recent success on the biggest stage. The Proteas beat Australia by five wickets in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s last year to lift their first major ICC trophy in 27 years, but Harmer feels the broader power dynamic in cricket still heavily favours India.
“Because of their commercial power, they have all of the power,” Simon Harmer told The Guardian. “The BCCI controls 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.”
Harmer was also part of South Africa’s historic 2-0 Test series win in India last year, a result that ended a 25-year wait for a series victory on Indian soil. He played a central role in that triumph, taking 17 wickets in four innings at an excellent average of 8.94. For Harmer, that tour was further proof of what South Africa can achieve when the group functions as a unit.
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He praised the current setup under head coach Shukri Conrad and captain Temba Bavuma, describing it as a side that thrives on collective discipline rather than relying on individual stars.
“That team is more than the sum of its parts, with only a couple of superstars,” he said. Simon Harmer was equally complimentary about Conrad’s straight-talking style. “If he thinks you’re not good enough, he’ll tell you straight,” he said. “I rate that. I’ve not always had that.”
“BCCI Controls the ICC”, South African spinner Harmer Calls Out Cricket Power Imbalance
He said, “Because of their commercial power, they have all of the power,” referring to the influence of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. He added, “The BCCI controls the… pic.twitter.com/8qCe3bwSTo
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The spinner also reflected on his long career in county cricket with Essex, where he made an immediate impact by taking 72 wickets at 19.19 in his debut season and helping the club win its first championship in 25 years. Harmer said that sort of consistency helped establish him as one of the leading spinners in England across multiple seasons.
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But Simon Harmer believes the system still does not give spinners the recognition or support they deserve. “In England, generally your spinners are a bit of an afterthought,” he said. He acknowledged the quality of bowlers such as Liam Dawson and Jack Leach, but added that the structure around them often limits their influence. “It’s not a lack of resources — you’ve got 18 counties,” Harmer said. “But how many have a spin-bowling coach? Probably two or three.”
According to Harmer, county cricket often pushes spinners into a support role rather than treating them as central match-winners, a pattern that remains a major challenge in English conditions.
