QUINTON DE KOCK ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM TEST CRICKET

South Africa wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock has announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect. The announcement comes after the Proteas’ first Test match against India in Centurion, where the visitors won by 113 runs and took a one-nil lead in the three-match series. Cricket South Africa (CSA) said De Kock has cited his intentions to spend more time with his growing family for the timing and reason for his relatively early retirement from the format. He and his wife, Sasha, are anticipating the imminent birth of their first-born child in the coming days.

“This is not a decision that I have come to very easily. I have taken a lot of time to think about what my future looks like and what needs to take priority in my life now that Sasha and I are about to welcome our first child into this world and look to grow our family beyond that,” De Kock said in a statement.

“My family is everything to me and I want to have the time and space to be able to be with them during this new and exciting chapter of our lives.“I love Test cricket and I love representing my country and all that it comes with. I’ve enjoyed the ups and the downs, the celebrations and even the disappointments, but now I’ve found something that I love even more,” he added.Twenty-nine-year-old De Kock made his Proteas Test debut against Australia in Gqeberha in 2014. In 54 matches, he amassed 3 300 runs with a high score of 141 not-out, at an average of 38.82 and strike rate of 70.93. He also has six centuries and 22 half-centuries under his belt.

“In life, you can buy almost everything except for time, and right now, it’s time to do right by the people that mean the most to me,” said De Kock.“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been a part of my Test cricket journey from the very beginning. To my coaches, teammates, the various management teams and my family and friends – I couldn’t have shown up as I did without your support,” he added.

The former Test captain’s talent as a wicketkeeper set him apart on the world stage, with 232 dismissals, including 221 catches and 11 stumpings. De Kock has also taken the third-most catches in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship – 48 in 11 matches (47 catches and 1 stumping) and has a personal best of six dismissals in an innings, against England in Centurion in 2019.

“This is not the end of my career as a Protea, I’m fully committed to white ball cricket and representing my country to the best of my ability for the foreseeable future. All the best to my teammates for the remainder of this Test series against India,” De Kock concluded.