The long road: Why Rassie van der Dussen called time on his Proteas career

When he was 17 years old, Rassie van der Dussen faced an unusual crossroads. He had just matriculated from school – he entered school a year early – and in pursuing his cricket more seriously, targeted a place in the Northerns U19 side.

While he did not make the team, the union indicated he could still feature at the prestigious Khaya Majola Week, but only if he was enrolled in school.

There was only one issue: he had already matriculated.

After discussions with his father, Van der Dussen made the unusual decision to return to school. He enrolled at Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool, and under the guidance of respected coaches who had previously nurtured players such as AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis, Van der Dussen committed fully to refining his game.

Repeating a year gave him the platform he needed: his performances improved significantly, and he earned selection to the U19 side.

More than a decade would pass before he finally broke into the national setup, a late bloomer in a system that often fast-tracks prodigies.

This story is a testament to the resilience and long-term thinking that would come to define Van der Dussen’s career.

Now, after that hard-earned journey to the top, the South African batsman has called time on his international career in all formats.

Reading between the lines

The announcement came last week on 2 April, two days after Cricket South Africa (CSA) issued a list of contracted players for the 2026/27 season.

Van der Dussen, among other big names such as David Miller, Quinton de Kock, George Linde and Anrich Nortje, was notably absent from the list.

This exclusion, coupled with a lack of communication from CSA, left Van der Dussen in a state of uncertainty, ultimately shaping his decision to step away from international cricket.

“I think it was a combination of a few factors,” Van der Dussen told Daily Maverick. “The obvious one being that my contract wasn’t renewed, and probably the [lack of] communication to me that I’m not in the plans going forward anyway, which is a bit disappointing in itself.”

According to the 37-year-old, he had not been in contact with CSA since August last year, which was also the last time he donned the Proteas jersey, for a T20 against Australia.

“It’s not difficult to read between the lines,” said Van der Dussen, who had been considering retirement for the past two months.

“I’m also 37, which is not old, but it’s also not young. So, I think maybe the time was just right for me to step aside,” he said.

For Van der Dussen, who has been a part of the system for eight years, he just could not understand the why.

“It’s not performance, it can’t be,” he said. “Even I can objectively say it can’t be a performance-based reason that I’m dropped.

“A similar thing happened to [a few other players] before. You think that you can try and influence the system to change it, and then you just realise that the history repeats itself.

“That’s why I’m saying these things. I’m not saying it because I feel that I’ve been hard done by at all. You know, sport is sport and the coach’s prerogative is his.”

Despite feeling disappointed, Van der Dussen was neither bitter nor resentful, he said.

“I’m genuinely grateful and honoured and privileged to have been able to do what I did over the last eight years.”

Late bloomer

Before making his international debut at 29 in a T20 International (T20I) against Zimbabwe in 2018, Van der Dussen spent more than a decade grinding in domestic cricket.

He developed his game across franchises, including the Titans and the Lions. At the Lions he became a prolific run scorer, earning him the nickname “MaThousand”, due to his ability to produce high run tallies in the domestic circuit.

In his first full season in first-class cricket, he scored 904 runs. Two years later, he scored 1,000 runs in the 2012/13 season. In 2017/18, he was the leading run-scorer in the Sunfoil Series with 959 runs.

By the time he earned his international breakthrough, Van der Dussen had already played cricket in England, Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada and the Caribbean.

He transitioned seamlessly to international cricket, establishing himself as a key figure in SA’s white-ball setup, amassing more than 2,400 One Day International runs at an average north of 50.

In T20Is, he scored more than 1,000 runs at a strike rate of 128.75. He also starred in major World Cups, including the 2023 World Cup where he scored two centuries.

“I genuinely had a great period. I’m really privileged to have been able to achieve what I have and play part in a team and live out my dream,” said Van der Dussen.

In less than a decade, Van der Dussen achieved a lot, however, the feeling of making his debut was indescribable, he said.

“It’s difficult to top a debut, especially for mine at the age of 29,” he said. “It was a long road of sacrifices, but not in a bad way. Sacrifices that every sportsman or player goes through. A lot of work, a lot of reflection and a lot of effort that went into finally reaching that stage. And when you do get there, that’s a feeling that’s hard to describe.”

Still in action

While he has retired from international cricket, Van der Dussen will continue to play in the domestic league for his Johannesburg-based team the Lions – a team he has been a part of since 2012.

He also has sights set on another SA20 season and a few leagues in the winter. Van der Dussen has been playing for MI Cape Town since its inaugural season back in 2023.

He played a crucial role in their title victory in 2025, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer with 393 runs from 11 innings.

His retirement also means that he will not play in the 2027 Cricket World Cup that SA is hosting.

“I don’t think hurt is the right word. No one is entitled to wear a national jersey… so to say that you’re hurt for not being able to do it at a home World Cup, I don’t think that’s the right word for it,” said Van der Dussen.

“If you’re privileged and I suppose lucky enough, in a way, that it coincides with your time, I think it’s a very special thing.

“I suppose, for me, it just wasn’t written in the stars, and for some guys it will be, and I think it’s going to be a great experience for them.” DM