Which is more fun to play: international or franchise cricket?

Ask a 10-year-old cricketer if playing the game is fun and the answer would be an incandescent, incredulous, "Yes!" Put the same question to the same cricketer 20 or so years later and, while still positive, the answer may have lost its exclamation mark and some of its sparkle.

Rassie van der Dussen is nearing the end of his 37th year. He played his first match as a professional in May 2009. He has been in the paid ranks for 16 years and seven months.

Is playing cricket still fun for him?

"The SA20 is really fun to be part of; it's really well organised," Van der Dussen said on Monday at Newlands, where the fourth edition of the tournament will start on Friday with a game between Mumbai Indians Cape Town and Durban's Super Giants.

"The management we have at MI is unbelievable. Not a stone is left unturned. It's such a professional environment. The other day at our first training session, within 10 minutes I had the drinks I like to have during training. I didn't have to ask for them. All the small things are taken care of."

"So you can focus solely on what you're here to do. Yes, we are paid handsomely. But we're here to do a job. We're not here on a month-long holiday. It's refreshing to be able to concentrate on doing that job with no outside noise, no chat about this or that."

Time to come clean. Van der Dussen was in fact asked whether playing franchise cricket was more fun than being part of the international arena. But, clever fellow that he is, he nudged his answer in a different direction.

Because, from the outside, playing international cricket doesn't look like fun. It looks like unfairness. Why should you have to entertain the myth that you represent a nation just because a country's name is on your playing shirt? Why should you have to put up with pressure from the public, the politicians and the press? Why should you have to endure online abuse from people who will never play cricket as well as you do?

Faf du Plessis is 41. He made his debut for South Africa in an ODI against India at Newlands in 2011. His last international was a Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in February 2021. He has also played for 27 franchise, provincial and county teams.

Few are better placed to answer the question: which is more fun, playing international or franchise cricket?

"They're fun differently," Du Plessis said. "When you're playing for South Africa it is the best thing you can do. When I was asked back then to go and play in the leagues, my answer was no. Because I wanted to play for South Africa in all formats."

"I still see playing for South Africa as the biggest stage. Is it always fun? No, but that's sport; sport's not always fun. You get ups and downs. Even in the franchise world, it's not always fun. You go to places where you don't necessarily want to spend six, seven, eight weeks. Whereas when you're playing for South Africa you're with friends and you're representing your country."

"Where I am now, you look at your year and you can, I suppose, selfishly choose what you want to do. But that comes with time. When I was 21 I didn't have that opportunity."

Du Plessis was speaking at the SA20 "captains' day" press conference at a Cape Town hotel on Tuesday. Between Stubbs and Du Plessis were seated Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, league commissioner Graeme Smith and Kagiso Rabada. Aiden Markram was to Du Plessis' left.

They were all 10 once. All, of course, played for South Africa. Which brings us back to Du Plessis' point about international cricket remaining the pinnacle for players.

"Certainly, these guys would tell you they wouldn't want it any other way," he said. "Isn't that right, Aiden?"

"Yeah, that's right," Markram agreed with a nod.

Asked how performances at the SA20 might influence selection for next year's T20 World Cup, Markram – South Africa's captain in the format – said: "For the players who are maybe vying for a place in the squad it's important not to think about that World Cup at all. Absorb this month for what it is and have as much fun as you can."

"Naturally, when you step onto the field, the competitive edge will come through. So let that be and then, off the field, have such a good time and create some good memories with some really cool teams and good players. And we'll take the World Cup on when we get there."

If only it was that simple. Like it was when we were 10.