Van der Dussen turned 36 earlier this month and at the moment performs just one format for South Africa, although he has been capped in all three. As he will get older and a youthful crop of batters begin coming via, he has accepted that his time within the staff won’t be perpetually.
“It is undoubtedly a chance that it is my final ICC event. I am not saying that with any preconceived concepts that I am going to name time on it or administration will name time on my profession. It is simply the fact,” van der Dussen mentioned from Karachi, the place South Africa are getting ready for his or her final group stage match in opposition to England.
Van der Dussen is aware of Ryan Rickelton and Tony de Zorzi are pushing him for a spot within the South Africa line-up•ICC/Getty Photographs
Earlier than his 52 in opposition to Afghanistan, van der Dussen had gone 10 innings and not using a half-century and it has been 13 because the final time he scored 100. Although there isn’t any suggestion of it – and him being at a press convention suggests additionally no hazard of it – when Klaasen returns to full health, van der Dussen himself might be within the firing line if all of Bavuma, de Zorzi and Rickelton are retained.
South Africa are but to disclose any info on Klaasen’s elbow however have mentioned he’s match to play in opposition to England. In that case, it’s extra doubtless de Zorzi will sit out and van der Dussen may get a shot at a title he has been working in direction of. “For me I all the time wished to get to the Champions Trophy, which is now, after which we’ll reassess after that,” he mentioned. “My nationwide contract is arising on the finish of April.
“My final aim has all the time been to play for the Proteas. Persons are asking me, are you going to play leagues afterwards? I do not know if the prospect of not taking part in for the Proteas goes away, I am going to have that starvation to play within the leagues.”
Rassie van der Dussen
“I am going to have discussions with Rob [Walter] and with Enoch [Nkwe, director of national teams and high performance] and see the place they see me and what my position goes ahead. I really feel like I am taking part in nicely. Bodily, I am placing a number of time into my physique. If I am nonetheless ok in two years, I might wish to suppose that I am within the combine. If not, if different guys are pushing me and I can not sustain with the kids, then that is additionally nice.”
In contrast to some gamers within the twilight of their careers around the globe – Trent Boult, Devon Conway and Tabraiz Shamsi are some examples – van der Dussen doesn’t seem inclined to reject a nationwide contract for league alternatives.
“My final aim has all the time been to play for the Proteas,” van der Dussen mentioned. “Persons are asking me, are you going to play leagues afterwards? I do not know. I do not know if the prospect of not taking part in for the Proteas goes away, I am going to have that starvation to play within the leagues. Representing my nation has all the time been certainly one of my massive and solely objectives so if that falls away, I am unsure what I’ll do. If I am provided one other contract, I am going to undoubtedly take it and commit for that point interval.”
Rassie van der Dussen is specializing in upskilling his sport and believes leagues like T10 have helped in that regard•Sportzpics
And even when that contract doesn’t take him all the way in which to 2027, van der Dussen needs to play an element in serving to South Africa’s ODI facet transfer in direction of their finest forward of the house World Cup. “I might suspect that from a administration standpoint, your 2027 World Cup facet has to begin taking part in extra frequently and begin taking part in collectively. However there’s a number of leagues taking place within the subsequent few months and everybody will not be accessible on a regular basis, so even when it is in a transitional form of position, I am going to undoubtedly decide to that. Being right here is for me the final word factor. Leagues are good, however that is not my be-all and end-all.”
He confirmed that whereas he has not retired from red-ball cricket in “the final 12 months or two of my profession, I can not see myself taking part in any extra red-ball cricket,” and that he turned down a suggestion to take action later this 12 months. “I did have a county provide thrown my means which I declined.”
As a substitute, he’s specializing in upskilling his quick format sport and seeing how far it takes him. “I’ve performed in just a few leagues and executed nicely. Even leagues like T10 have taken my sport ahead. That is why I am feeling now that I am nonetheless hungry and I am nonetheless taking part in nicely.”
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and ladies’s cricket
