Rajasthan fan Rassie delighted with IPL deal: 'I've followed them since Graeme Smith'

Proteas batter Rassie van der Dussen, a Rajasthan Royals supporter, has felt a stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) was bound to happen.

Van der Dussen was bought by the Jaipur-based franchise for 1 crore (R2 million) this weekend and with his ability, he may prove to be a bargain buy for the 2008 IPL champions.

Van der Dussen didn't try to hide his delight in joining a team he's supported for a long time. 

"It feels good to be acknowledged and I've always been a Rajasthan Royals fan since the early days of the IPL when the likes of Graeme Smith played there," Van der Dussen said.

"It's a team I've always followed, I'm very happy to be representing the franchise and it's an exciting prospect for me."

Van der Dussen hasn't played T20 cricket since the World Cup, but he signed off from that tournament with an unbeaten 94 from 60 balls that helped South Africa beat England.

While that innings wasn't enough to get the Proteas a semi-final spot, it showcased Van der Dussen's full evolution from an opener to a skilled middle-order batting manager.

Versatility

Van der Dussen was also the Mzansi Super League's inaugural top scorer with 469 runs at an average of 58.62 and a strike-rate of 138.75.

It was a run that opened up a space for him in the men's national team and hasn't looked back since.

"It's been a long time coming and having started my career as an opener, my game required some evolution," Van der Dussen said.

"I feel like I'm at a stage of my career where I've got most aspects of my game covered from a versatility perspective.

"Playing in different conditions over the past few years has been really challenging, but I felt I've adapted well and that's key for a middle-order batter.

"One has to be adaptable and have a