The Kolpak ruling, which has had a profound effect on county cricket for a decade and a half, has come to an end, with the United Kingdom leaving the EU on December 31, 2020.

The legal decision, originally referring to a Slovakian handball player, allowed players from certain countries to ply their trade in England as non-overseas players, as long as they stopped playing international cricket. While some West Indian and Zimbabwean cricketers benefitted from the loophole, by far the country most affected was South Africa, who have seen many of their best players choose the lucrative option of guaranteed employment in county cricket.

While these players won’t be left completely high and dry by the change in circumstances, with the ECB allowing for counties to play an extra overseas player from 2021 onwards to mitigate the impact, they will once again be eligible for international selection.

Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani has already had success switching back to international cricket, taking seven wickets in a super over victory against Pakistan to take top spot in Wisden’s ODI spells of the year for 2020.

It remains to be seen if South Africa will welcome back their newly available options with open arms, but there are several players who could, on merit, become key parts of the Proteas’ Test setup, with results disappointing in recent times.

The potential Kolpak returnees

The South African players who had Kolpak deals in 2020 are: Colin Ingram, Richard Levi, Hardus Viljoen, Simon Harmer, Stiaan van Zyl, David Wiese, Kyle Abbott, Rilee Rossouw, Marchant de Lange, Heino Kuhn, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Duanne Olivier, Farhaan Behardien, Vernon Philander, Hashim Amla, Cameron Delport, Dane Vilas.

The Test team, particularly the bowling attack, is likely to see some significant changes if they do choose to bring back some of these players. While three veteran Proteas players, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Hashim Amla, announced their retirements before leaving to take up Kolpak deals, they could potentially reconsider their decisions now.

Philander, at least, left on a high, and could be a great addition to the South African Test pace attack. Out of the current crop of Kolpaks, Kyle Abbott and Simon Harmer had the greatest impact in county cricket, with the off-spinner, whose South Africa career never took off, being one of the Wisden Almanack Cricketers of the Year in 2020 after helping Essex to County Championship and T20 Blast glory in 2019.

While both Harmer and Abbott are likely to be retained as overseas players, their long-term county future remains suspect and they could make a return. Harmer, notably, has indicated at returning to South Africa for a Test career.

Rilee Rossouw, who earned a reputation as a T20 cricketer, could be another in line to make an entry to the Test side. Rossouw has 19 first-class centuries and an average above 40, meaning could be handy in a Test batting line-up that is becoming increasingly dependent on a few star names.

Duanne Olivier made a sound impression in the 2018-19 season before leaving the country, taking 31 wickets in five Tests including a 11-96 against Pakistan in Centurion. Still in his 20s, Olivier could also be in contention to comeback into the longer formats at least.

Possible South Africa Test XI

Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Faf du Plessis, Rassie van der Dussen, Rilee Rossouw, Quinton de Kock, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Simon Harmer, Duanne Olivier, Kyle Abbott.