Rassie van der Dussen, a prominent South African batsman, shared his experiences of playing cricket in India during the World Cup 2023. He came into the spotlight after a remarkable innings against Sri Lanka, where he scored 108 runs off 110 balls, featuring 13 fours and two sixes, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Different Playing Conditions
Van der Dussen emphasized the significant contrast between playing in India and South Africa. He highlighted the challenging aspects of playing in India, notably the hot and humid conditions, which can be physically demanding for the players. Despite the testing conditions, he expressed his appreciation for the vibrant and passionate Indian fans.
“It’s a lot different than playing back home in South Africa. Conditions are tough. It’s hot. As a player going there, it’s quite daunting, but it’s always great playing there. I think it’s the people that set it apart, to be honest. You get other places in the world that’s hot and humid as well, but the people in the subcontinent, the fans, passionate, loud. You can almost sometimes not even hear yourself thinking,” Van der Dussen explained.
Challenges of Playing Against India
Van der Dussen acknowledged India as a world-class cricket team and recognized the daunting task of beating any such team in their home conditions. He noted that the tougher the conditions, the more rewarding the victory would be.
“They’re obviously a world-class team, and to beat any world-class team in their home conditions is a daunting task, and it’s no different for India. But yeah, the tougher it is, I suppose the more rewarding it is,” he added.
South African Skipper Temba Bavuma on Adapting to Different Playing Conditions
South African skipper Temba Bavuma also shared his thoughts on the challenges of adapting to different playing conditions. He pointed out the contrast between playing in a full, packed stadium in India and the emphasis on fast bowling in South Africa. In South Africa, dealing with the short ball is crucial for batsmen due to the extra pace and bounce on the wickets.
“It’s crazy, playing in a full, packed stadium. Playing in South Africa, obviously, fast bowling is a big thing. As a batsman, being able to deal with the short ball, that’s a big thing with the extra pace and bounce on our wickets,” Bavuma remarked.
Upcoming Match
South Africa’s second match in the World Cup 2023 is against Pat Cummins’ Australia at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. This clash promises to be an exciting contest between two cricketing powerhouses.
