Among the most potent left-handed batters in the history of cricket today is Rilee Rossouw. The South African can be rather elusive when singing. But over the years, he hasn’t exactly been a consistent player. Following a competitive negotiation with the Rajasthan Royals, the Delhi Capitals acquired Rossouw for a sizable sum of INR 4.60 crore prior to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.
Despite finishing with a strike rate of 148 and 209 runs in nine games, the southpaw was unable to live up to his full potential. After placing ninth in the standings, the Capitals decided to make changes in preparation for the upcoming campaign. Consequently, Rilee Rossouw was one of the eleven players let go by the Delhi-based team.
For the IPL 2024 auction, which is set to take place in Dubai on Tuesday, December 19, Rossouw has registered himself. He has projected that the Delhi Capitals or the Kolkata Knight Riders could be his next stop in the lucrative league, and he anticipates a bidding battle for him.
“Don’t think about anything specific. The Delhi Capitals, in my opinion, treated me pretty well last season. The squad had a strong sense of camaraderie. Having said that, I was successful while playing with the American League Knights. So if there was a little bidding war, that would be great. Rossouw said to the Hindustan Times, “I mean, that would be ideal for myself,” outside of the Abu Dhabi T10 League.
“Like, it doesn’t really matter who I play for in the end. Whatever team I’m selected for, I want to do well for them,” he declared.
For the uninitiated, Rossouw played Major League cricket for the Los Angeles Knight Riders in the inaugural season. Although Sunil Narine’s team finished last in the points standings, Rossouw’s thrilling 38-ball 78 not out against the Seattle Orcas was the key to their lone victory in the competition.
IPL approaches everything with a broader scope. Rilee Rossouw
Rossouw has spent a number of years participating in franchise leagues all over the world. To compare the Indian Premier League with other international leagues, he was questioned. The 34-year-old expressed his straightforward opinion that everything in the IPL is bigger and better.
“In my opinion, the IPL takes a larger approach to everything. It really is, as they say, bigger and better everywhere. From the outside, everything appears glamorous. As a player, it’s great to see them spend so much money on marketing and attracting fans. The supporters adore cricket. Thus, it’s wonderful to observe that it has remained stable over the course of around twenty years (16). Thus, it is undoubtedly among the top leagues,” he continued.
In the current Abu Dhabi T10 League, Rossouw was a member of the Delhi Bulls, who placed fifth overall. Although the left-hander’s campaign was miserable, he did observe that the pitches this time around were more favorable to bowlers and that scoring runs was far harder than in prior editions. In addition, Rilee Rossouw declared that he is in contact with South Africa’s coach, Rob Walter, and expressed his eagerness to perform wherever he plays.
“Compared to the preceding seven seasons, it has been accomplishing a great deal more. Actually, I was joking around about the same thing with the boys. After seven years, I’m confident bowlers can experience a season in which the ball moves a little bit. To be very honest, we weren’t prepared for this. Talking about T10 makes you assume that you’re going to bash every ball, get nice, flat wickets, and have a great time, but that hasn’t been the case this year,” he went on.
Whether I play in the leagues or not, I am loyal to the coach’s beliefs since we have remained in contact. I therefore don’t really want to think about it; I just want to work hard and perform well, no matter what changes I may encounter. I cannot control it at the end of the day if I score and am not chosen. The choosers carry out their duties. “They want to consistently field the best South African team in the park,” Rossouw said in closing.