Ryan Rickelton ready to ramp it up at T20 World Cup by leaning on IPL experience

Ryan Rickelton endured a nightmare white-ball tour of India last month. The Proteas opener was dismissed without scoring in both the Ranchi and Visakhapatnam ODIs.

Albeit in a different format, it was these returns that led to Rickelton being excluded from the Proteas’ original T20 World Cup squad set to depart for India next week.

But much has happened since. Rickelton has once again piled on the runs for his beloved MI Cape Town in the Betway SA20, finishing as the leading run-scorer in the competition, which prompted a national social media outcry over his omission.

And as fate would have it - Tony de Zorzi not recovering from the hamstring strain he suffered in the second ODI which ironically led to Rickelton playing in the series-decider - the southpaw is now back in the T20 World Cup squad and preparing to face the West Indies in a three-match series, starting in Paarl on Tuesday.

It’s been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, but having been through a fair bit of upheaval in his career already, most notably when left at home ahead of the tour to Australia in 2022 due to ankle injury which he believed he had fully recovered from, the 29-year-old has taken it all in his stride. 

“I was actually quite okay with it. I planned a really nice month out here with the Lions,” Rickelton said.

“Domestically, nice to be at home. Recently moved houses, so the opportunity to be at home for a bit was quite exciting for me. But still, there is always a massive honour to go to a World Cup and represent South Africa as well, so there's no joking or hiding behind that.

“It's been a mixed bag this week, I suppose, to finishing up last week in PE, to then actually going on a holiday for a bit, to getting a call saying your holiday is over, you're coming back. 

“But on the same side, I don't want to restrict myself. I want to try and find that balance, I suppose, that I get when I play for the Cape Town side. I've got to try and work through something in my own head and how I want to go about it. Hopefully I can try and figure that out this week before we hit India.”

Rickelton is also fully aware that he needs to store away his flip-flops and board shorts and switch back into work mode quickly as a T20 World Cup in India is going to be one helluva experience. 

“At ICC events, everything ramps up. Especially in India, where cricket is a religion,” he said.

“The intensity at which the game is played goes through the roof. Everyone gets up for it, no matter what physical or mental state you're in. Every country gets up for it, and every game is a big game. 

"The intensity will be there, the attitude will be up there, the commitment from the group will really be good. If I can match and rival that, then hopefully I give myself the best chance as well as the team."

Rickelton’s role at the T20 World Cup is yet to be determined with Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock inked in as Proteas coach Shukri Conrad’s opening pair. 

It is likely that he may slot in at No 3, although Conrad has shown during his tenure that he often has an ace up his sleeve, or may even haul out a joker if the need arises, like batting allrounder Wiaan Mulder at first drop in the World Test Championship Final at Lord’s. 

But regardless of where Rickelton eventually fits in, which he will discover during the Windies series, he is hoping to lean on better memories from India to help him prepare for the T20 World Cup.

Playing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL last season, Rickelton delivered a healthy return of 388 runs at an average of 29.84 and a 150.97 strike-rate.

"I don't know where I'm going to bat, if I am going to be at the top two or three or wherever, so that's going to be a new experience for me as well,” he said.

“But I have that experience in India now. I need to probably lean on that more than ever and just accept that generally India gets good wickets.”

The Proteas play three T20Is against the West Indies this week before departing for the T20 World Cup where they will face Afghanistan in their tournament opener on February 11 in Ahmedabad.