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A feature by Karthik Narayan

Destiny – the Oxford Dictionary reports the meaning of that word as “fate considered as a power; what is destined by fate to happen to a person or thing.”

Jacques Andries Rudolph took this so-called fate to battle, and fought till the end; the end result?? His belief and strong faith in his Destiny took him to dizzy heights, a place where no South African has ever gone. He had “played” in two tests before he actually opened his account with the record books as a South African debutant.

The Mike Dennes Affair kept him from really doing anything on his first debut “test”, against India at Centurion in 2001 that was called as an unofficial Test! His next debut test came against the Aussies at Sydney, where at the last minute he was taken off the team list, just because the UCB wanted to play a colored player in the team: he was replaced by Justin Ontong.

Finally, the D-Day arrived when the Proteas finally decided to “cap” young Rudolph at Chittagong against minnows Bangladesh, and he made his bat do the talking with a magnificent double hundred on debut! And his first entry in that record book would make every SA, why SA, every cricketer for that matter, to stand up and salute! A dream start to a career what has been doing nothing but rise!

It was not just Rudolph that disturbed the Bangladeshis, another Rising Star, Boeta Dippenaar stamped his class with his highest score in tests, together these two put up a hellova lot of runs for the 5th wicket. Minnows, Best Team in the world, no matter! Everything was thrown into the trash can as runs flowed from the willow on that Destined Day.

Basking in the glory of that great 222* on debut, he went on, with a string of good scores, to make three other hundreds. By the end of 16 tests, he has 4 test 100s, and an equal number of fifties, which just makes it clear that he most certainly is not a One Time Wonder.

It is not quite a wonder to know that Cricket came naturally to this gifted cricketer, he began the game at the early age of 3! Having said that, he has not really come to terms with the Colored Version of the game, he has not won as many accolades wearing the colored flannels for SA. That is a minor glitch, he averages 48 plus in tests, not quite the same in ODIs. But then it is tough and grinding, and besides, its too early to gauge.

So, lets hear it for Destiny’s Chosen One… he could have broken down and lost his faith in life after Centurion, but he did not. Hooray for another fine youngster on the edge of becoming a world-class performer. And a fine lesson for all of us reading this write up to believe more in one’s Destiny, and simply take LIFE on!

Cricketfundas.com wishes this youngster on the prowl for more success in his career, which has just taken off, just upto Jac Rudolph to keep a cool head and not fall from the Dizzy heights he has reached!

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