Rassie van der Dussen says the lesson that he learnt in the 1st T20I against India is, trusting the game plan and having a clear mindset “regardless of what your strike rate is.”
It’s been quite the frenetic start for the Proteas, in their first international assignment after the IPL. They successfully made it over the line in their highest ever chase against a promising Indian team brimming with talent and potential.
At one point, it looked like there was too steep a mountain to climb, but a breathtaking partnership of 131 from 63 between Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller emphatically turned the game around.
Miller raced off the blocks, but van der Dussen had a typical placid start to his knock before opening up in the 17th over. The early blows from Miller helped ease the pressure for the solid right-hander, and the platform was set despite a steady increasing asking rate.
“Yeah, it was a tough match. Having played a match here last week, we knew that it’s a fast-scoring ground, and India batted really well to cross 200,” said van der Dussen. “But we knew that if we batted well, we’d be able to chase it down. David did well to get me through the difficult patch there in the middle. But we had clear plans and communicated clearly.”
While he was providing useful company for Miller, van der Dussen was getting a bit bogged down during the middle overs. Many of his attempted aggressive strokes went straight to fielders, and in his first 25 deliveries, he had hit just one four and one six. Searching for boundary options was key, and he backed his instincts to devastating effect at the death. Admittedly, adjusting to the conditions early on wasn’t the easiest.
“It was a pretty good wicket. There was some help for the spinners as well as some swing. It was quite a fast outfield, so you get value for your shots. It took a while to get used to the conditions here. I was a bit slow at 30 from 30. But I knew that if I could get a couple of them away, the momentum will shift. So, I suppose the lesson here is trusting the game plan and having a clear mindset regardless of what your strike rate is.”
Additionally, this chase required the Proteas to think outside the box. Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma both couldn’t get off to a badly-needed fast start during the Powerplay, and the early dismissal of the skipper brought about a change in plans. Dwaine Pretorius, who’s normally known to be a middle-order hitter, was shunted up to first drop. It proved to be a vital tactic, with his sprightly 13-ball 29 setting the tone for an imminent brutal onslaught.
“Yeah, Dwaine was brilliant. There were clear instructions for him to get out there and put them under pressure. He can hit it very far and he’s an intimidating figure.”
There’s no doubt that this was a scintillating match. High-scoring thrillers often have us on the edges of our seats. But at the same time, there are areas for the Proteas to iron out. According to van der Dussen, it will be important to regain consistency with the ball as well as bat with more intent going forward.
“From a personal perspective, it would be nice to adapt to the conditions relatively quicker. You don’t want to put yourself under too much pressure to play catch-up at the end, which will put the team under pressure as a result. We bowled a few too many boundary balls, and we’ll look to restrict that as much as we can.”
With another four games to go, there’s a lot to play for. South Africa have the early advantage, but it’s time to dot the I’s and cross the T’s, as this series will be very crucial preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.
