4 months ago
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Rilee Rossouw is one of the most destructive left-handed batters in modern-day cricket. When on song, the South African is quite difficult to contain. However, consistency hasn't been his forte over the years.
Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, Rossouw was picked up by the Delhi Capitals for a handsome amount of INR 4.60 crore after they went into a tussle with the Rajasthan Royals. The southpaw couldn't do justice to his potential as he finished with 209 runs in nine games, at a strike rate of 148. The Capitals finished ninth on the points table and they opted for a revamp ahead of next season. As a result, Rossouw was one of the 11 players released by the Delhi-based franchise.
Rossouw has registered himself for the IPL 2024 auction scheduled to be held in Dubai on Tuesday, December 19. He is expecting a bidding war for him and also predicted that his next destination in the cash-rich league could be either the Delhi Capitals or the Kolkata Knight Riders.
"Don't have a particular thing in mind. I think Delhi Capitals was really good to me last year. We had a solid camaraderie around the team. But in saying that, I did well with the Knights team in the American League. So it would be nice if it would be a little bit of a bidding war. I mean, that would be ideal for myself," Rossouw told Hindustan Times on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi T10 League.
"Like at the end of the day, doesn't matter who I play for. I want to do well for whichever franchise I'm picked," he said.
For the unversed, Rossouw represented the Los Angeles Knight Riders in the inaugural season of Major League Cricket. While the Sunil Narine-led team finished last on the points table, their only win in the competition came on the back of an exhilarating 38-ball 78 not out from Rossouw against Seattle Orcas.
IPL does everything on a bigger canvas: Rilee Rossouw
Rossouw has played in various franchise leagues around the world for some years. He was asked to compare the IPL with other global leagues. The 34-year-old had a simple assessment as he stated that everything is bigger and better in the IPL.
"I think IPL does everything on a bigger canvas. Everything's bigger and better there as they say. It's just glamorous from the outside. They spend so much money on marketing, in getting the fans in which is fantastic to see as a player. The fans love their cricket. So it's fantastic to see that and how it's been consistent over what's it been like 20 years (16) of it. So it is probably one of the best leagues," he added.
Rossouw represented Delhi Bulls, who finished fifth on the points table, in the ongoing Abu Dhabi T10 League. The left-hander had a dismal campaign, but he noted that the pitches had something in it for the bowlers this time and run-scoring was much more difficult compared to the previous editions. Furthermore, Rilee Rossouw also asserted that he is in touch with the coach of South Africa (Rob Walter) and said that he was eager to perform wherever he plays.
"It has been doing a lot more than what it has in the previous seven seasons. I was actually making a joke with the boys about the same. I mean, after seven years, I'm sure the bowlers can have one season where the ball does a bit. This was something that we weren't expecting, to be honest. When you talk about T10, you just think you're gonna slam every ball, the wickets are going to be nice and flat, and you're gonna have a good time but it's not been the case this year," he continued.
"I've been in touch with the coach and I'm still in his ideas, whether I play in the leagues or not. So without thinking much I just want to perform and do well wherever and whatever the changes I might get. At the end of the day, if I score and they don't select me, it is out of my control. The selectors do their job. They want to always keep getting the best South African team out in the park," Rossouw concluded.
English (US)