Spirit, when carried in the right measure, has a way of shrinking even the tallest obstacles into mere stepping stones.
Ask the Rassies and they will whole heartedly agree with Erasmus being clinical to South Africa lifting the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup enroute to building up a Springbok team which perhaps looks invincible now and his name-sake in van der Dussen who despite his late blossoming becomingone of the pillars of Protea cricket particularly in the ODI format.
Both demonstrated one thing in common; they showed oodles of spirit to create every opportunity to be at the right side of destiny with the taller Rassie also being a craftsman of his art on the 22 yards.
Five ODI hundreds in his first nine matches in the early part of 2019 and one has his answer.
The 50 over format seemed tailor made for van der Dussen who seemed resilient facing quality opposition bowlers particularly the likes of Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and more with the only thing on his mind being to rack up thosequality 100s having played a mountain of matches and scored oodles of runs for the Lions in the domestic circuit.
World Cup pursuits and batting mainstay
Despite South Africa being all but paltry in the 2019 ODI World Cup, Rassie was carving his niche, slowly but surely becoming a notable name in the Protea batting lineup in the tournament as an indecisive but a legend of the game in de Villiers was kept on the sidelines to give van der Dussen his due after selection.
His crucial knocks again New Zealand and Australia gave the lack lustre Protea outfit some respectability to earn elusive wins particularly against the latter in spite of South Africa becoming the first team to be ousted from the Land of HisMajesty.
By the time the next edition of the ODI World Cup came along in the cricket crazy India, Rassie had already established himself as the Protea number three, much in the Rahul Dravid mould of things as the mainstay of the innings around whom the other batters expressed themselves with the person in question being as steady as a rock.
The lanky right hander finished this edition as South Africa’s second highest run scorer with 448 runs to his name only behind Quinton de Kock at an impressive average of 49.78 with two tons to his name, just 0.22 shy of his career ODI average of 50.
Oblivion in the better part of 2025 and the impending retirement.
As the Proteas selection committee and think tank announced their new contract list for the upcoming season of 2026-27, there was no mention of Rassie van der Dussen with possiblythe people in power making a conscious shift towards young blood.
Well, the decision perhaps did make sense from a forward-thinking perspective but for Rassie this was undoubtedly a heart break who also in the last season was on a hybrid contract which allowed him to only play those series as the Proteas deemed fit with age not being on his side.
Having also been snubbed by the national team since South Africa’s tour of Australia in August 2025, retirement seemed imminent for the 37-year-old, despite also being the Protea’s highest run scorer in the last edition of the Champions Trophyin the beginning of 2025.
Well, all good things have to come to an end as Rassie finally did announce his retirement finishing the ODI game with six tons and 17 fifties at an average of 50, only second to the master, Abraham Benjamin de Villiers having played a minimum of 50 games.
A feat worth every praise, if one were to reckon!
What’s brewing next for Rassie?
Van der Dussen has expressed his desire to mentor the youngsters and build a stronger Protea outfit for the future with also now focusing on something few people know which is his coffee venture that he started with his agent cum partner Chris Cardoso during the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
The venture is a cafe called Abantu Coffee which employees loads of people to give them a better life in a country where people are hustling to make ends meet, perhaps also justifying the importance of the word ‘Abantu’ which in an indigenous South African language means serving the people or for the people which is exactly what his coffee shop is.
A very noble venture by a very noble man whose heart beats for his country, leaving a mark that stretches from the crease to the coffee counter, serving a cup of inspiration to all who cross his path.