“I think the pink suits me”: Rassie van der Dussen gearing up for maiden IPL stint at Rajasthan Royals

Rassie van der Dussen IPL 2022: The South African batter will be hoping for an Indian Premier League debut this season.

Although playing in the ongoing three-match ODI series against Bangladesh at home, South Africa batter Rassie van der Dussen seems to have an eye on a looming Indian Premier League debut in the upcoming 15th season.

Having registered himself at his base price of INR 1 crore, van der Dussen was bought for the same amount by Rajasthan Royals during the mega auction held in Bengaluru last month.

One of the 21 players bought by the franchise for IPL 2022, van der Dussen is part of an eight-member overseas group also comprising of Jos Buttler (retained), Trent Boult, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Shimron Hetmyer, James Neesham, Daryl Mitchell and Obed McCoy.

Rassie van der Dussen IPL 2022

It was after the recently concluded second South Africa vs Bangladesh ODI that van der Dussen took to social media platform Twitter to express his likeness for the colour pink. Much like South Africa’s jersey for the Johannesburg ODI yesterday, Royals’ also don a pink jersey in the IPL.

Bowling for the first time in international cricket, van der Dussen picked his maiden wicket in the form of Shoriful Islam in his first over itself. Batting at No. 5 in a 195-run chase, van der Dussen scored 8* (14) as a 19-run partnership for the fourth-wicket with batter Kyle Verreynne sealed a comfortable chase with 76 balls remaining in the match.

Readers must note that van der Dussen had replaced England all-rounder Ben Stokes at Royals in IPL 2021. van der Dussen, who initially failed to obtain an NOC (No-Objection Certificate) from CSA (Cricket South Africa) due to an injury, had to eventually miss out on the opportunity as the season had to be suspended midway due to a deadly second COVID-19 wave in India.

Rassie van der Dussen IPL record

van der Dussen, 33, might not be your quintessential T20 batter but he averages 38.23 and strikes at 130.17 in a 140-match T20 career. Although van der Dussen hasn’t played in the IPL before, he has played a Champions League T20 against RR in Jaipur.

Opening the batting with Quinton de Kock for Highveld Lions in a losing cause nine years ago, van der Dussen had scored 14 (16) in a 184-run chase.