Rassie van der Dussen sounds lighter these days, and he reckons most of the South African dressing-room feels the same. The senior batter, standing in as T20I captain for the tri-series in Zimbabwe, believes the recent World Test Championship victory has released a long-held tension within the national set-up.
“It feels like there’s a difference. Maybe it’s boiled over from winning the Test Championship because we won that match when it counts, so it’s almost like we can experiment more,” he said before South Africa’s next outing in Harare. That final at Lord’s ended a 26-year wait for a global trophy with the word “World” in the title, and the knock-on effect, at least for now, is tangible confidence.
South Africa’s white-ball sides are under new management, too. Shukri Conrad, a well-travelled coach inside the domestic system, has taken charge across formats for the 2025-27 WTC cycle, plus the 2026 T20 World Cup and the 2027 ODI World Cup on home soil. Van der Dussen credits Conrad for backing players to find solutions in their own style.
“It’s obviously Shukri [Conrad]’s first time in charge of the white-ball sides, but the mindset is different. We are not trying things for the sake of trying it, or guys being chosen for the sake of being chosen. It’s about trying things with the understanding that it’s okay if you get it wrong, but you can only get to the other side if you try it properly and authentically. What Shukri brings in terms of environment, and in terms of a mindset, is that freedom.”
Freedom, though, does not mean a free pass. South Africa’s bilateral record in limited-overs cricket tailed off under Rob Walter, particularly away from home, and Conrad knows the glare will return quickly if performances dip. Selection for this series is already a compromise between rest and rhythm. Regular skipper Aiden Markram plus Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj have all been given time off, while Marco Jansen is still rehabbing a thumb injury.
That leaves Van der Dussen to guide a squad dotted with fringe or emerging players: Dewald Brevis, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Gerald Coetzee and George Linde among them. The chance to bank international overs matters almost as much as the results, but the captain insists standards remain non-negotiable.
“There’s obviously responsibility, and we want to win every match. Shukri has said that many times, and we want to win every match that we play, but we are also encouraged to be our best version, play the way we want to play, and play the way the team wants to play. If we fall short, that’s okay, we fall short on our terms. We’ll try to be better next time. There’s no pressure from a management point of view. We know what’s expected of us.”
So far the message appears to have landed. Training sessions this week were lighter in tone but sharp on detail: fielders rotating through new positions, seamers mixing slower-ball variations, batters rehearsing ramps and scoops without the usual disapproving looks. “Fail now, succeed later,” was one assistant coach’s take, and few argued.
Analyst Craig Govender, who joined the staff last season, notes the shift is as much psychological as tactical. “Winning the WTC final proved our processes work. The numbers we track haven’t changed radically, but players trust them more because they’ve seen the outcome on a global stage.”
That said, South Africa supporters have ridden this wave before. After the 1998 ICC Knockout and the 2012 Test mace, genuine world titles still eluded them until June. Whether the WTC victory is a turning point or a pleasant detour will become clearer during next year’s T20 World Cup in India.
For Van der Dussen, now 36 and approaching the twilight of an international career that started late, the priority is simple: keep the mood positive while the main squad members return fresh. “A win buys you belief,” he said, squinting into a low winter sun at Queens Sports Club. “We might as well spend it while we’ve got it.”
South Africa play Zimbabwe on Saturday and Pakistan on Monday. Two early victories would seal a spot in Wednesday’s final, but the broader goal is embedding the easy rhythm that, for once, has replaced the national side’s familiar tightness. A world title helps. Sustaining the feeling is the next challenge.
