ENG vs SA | Rassie van der Dussen emphasizes on scoring Test ton

South Africa are all set to embark on a gruelling two-month tour of England, which comprises nine international matches - 3-ODIs, 3-T20Is, and 3-Tests. 

South Africa will also play against Ireland in a 2- match T20I series before the Tests.

Middle-order batter Rassie van der Dussen, one of five players picked for all three formats, has emphasized the importance of making hundreds in the red-ball format of the game.

Dussen, in his 15- match Test career, is yet to score a ton, with his highest being 98, which came against England when the latter toured South Africa in the 2019-20 season.

Speaking about the importance of scoring Test ton, Dussen to IOL sport said, "I've played 15 Tests, and I don't have a hundred," he said this week. "I don't think you can consider yourself a good Test batter if you don't score hundreds. That is something that, obviously, I need to convert. (Useful) contributions don't really cut it anymore, and I need to put in a match-winning performance. When you start (your career), you can feel your way into it, but I'm at a stage now where I need to perform."

His track record against England is decent, with 274 runs from four games. Dussen played crucial knocks in the Proteas' 2-1 series win over India at home earlier this year.

We don't play a lot of Test cricket: Dussen

The 33-year-old further talked about South Africa not playing enough Test cricket across the year, which hampers the growth of their batters.

"We don't play a lot of Test cricket - the last two series I played (against India and New Zealand), batting conditions were really tough. So there is the sense (with each innings) that 'I need to make this count,' but on the flip side, there is also the sense that a good fifty is also valuable in a (certain) context."

"That India series here, by all accounts, was (played in) some of the toughest batting conditions ever, and then you perceive (your innings) differently. So as a batting unit, as a batter, you don't have the weight of runs you'd like, but you won the series, and that is how you have to look at it," he explained.

Strange few months, personally: Dussen

Dussen, who played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for runners-up Rajasthan Royals, called the past few months a strange one, owing he has not played active cricket despite being a regular member.

"It's been strange, and I've been playing cricket but not playing matches. In the IPL, it was a bit frustrating not getting game time and not getting the backing there," 

"In the India series, I started off scratchy, played a good inning and then in the others, got out cheaply, which was frustrating because you want time in the middle - but in saying that, T20 is not the format where you will get time in the middle," the RR player said.

The Tests will be the last leg of the England tour, with the 1st match beginning on August 17.

Thus, Dussen will have an opportunity to gain much-needed practice in the white-ball series first.