Rassie van der Dussen’s rise is a case study for any young aspiring cricketer, emphasising that they should never give up on their dreams, writes Khalid Mohidin.
What an amazing year it has been for Van der Dussen. His contributions for the Lions saw them win two trophies this past season. He was also a key player for the Mzansi Super League champions the Jozi Stars, where he finished as top scorer in the competition.
His Proteas call-up and World Cup selection was based on consistent performances on the domestic scene and he carried that over into his performances for the Proteas in matches leading up to his World Cup call-up and during the tournament. This saw him rewarded handsomely at the CSA Awards.
Rassie’s story is an example for all young cricketers conveying the message: that no matter how hard it may seem to reach your dream or how far it may be from your grasp, never give up on it.
His inspiring drive for success and never-say-never intrinsic motivation has fueled his incredibly consistent performances.
“I’ve come a long way, making my debut at 29, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” Van der Dussen said to Cricket Fanatics Magazine.
“Things in life happen the way it should happen. I always tell young players ‘If I can do it you can do it’.
“I’m not a special… Quinny or an AB who got into the team at the age of 19 or 20 I’ve had to work hard,” he humbly added.
“But in life, if you work hard and you put everything you can into something that you want to achieve, anything can happen… you never know if it’s going to come, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it your all.”
Van der Dussen picked up two CSA Awards and was nominated in almost every category, a true testimony of his incredible season.
“Obviously I’m very honoured to win two awards. I’m also honoured to be nominated in so many other categories so it’s a special night. But I think any player will tell you it’s not about the awards,” Van der Dussen explained.
“It’s about being part of a winning team and putting in match-winning performances – whether it be for your domestic side or, even more special, your country. I’m very excited but winning awards is just the cherry on top.”
Despite all his achievements and incredible performances, Van der Dussen still found time to pay homage to external factors which played a role in his achievements.
“I’ve played a lot of domestic cricket in my life, so I’m experienced at franchise level and provincial level. So I sort of know my game by now and I’ve worked it out.
“But also a lot of credit must go to my batting coach at the Lions – Justin Sammons – over the last two years him and I have put in a lot of work and he’s taken a lot of time and put in a lot of effort into me.
“We’ve dissected my game and tried to improve on my weaknesses and strengths so it’s not a secret that over the last few years things have gone well for me,” he said.
“But in general I’ve trained hard all my life … like I said you never know when and if it’s going to pay off and I suppose perseverance always counts for a lot.”
