South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock has made a surprise return to ODI cricket, reversing his retirement decision less than a year after stepping away from the 50-over format. He has been named in both the ODI and T20I squads for the upcoming tour of Pakistan in October, as well as for a one-off T20I clash in Namibia.
De Kockβs Sudden U-Turn
De Kock had previously announced his ODI retirement after the 2023 World Cup, with his last international white-ball appearance coming in the 2024 T20 World Cup final in Barbados. While he had not officially retired from T20Is, his absence from national squads left questions about his long-term future. During this period, he continued to feature in T20 leagues worldwide, including the recently concluded CPL.
Head coach Shukri Conrad revealed that de Kock expressed a renewed commitment to represent South Africa.
“πΈππππππ’π ππππππ ππ πππ πππππ-ππππ πππππ ππ π πππππ πππππ πππ ππ,” πͺπππππ ππππ . “πΎπππ ππ πππππ ππππ πππππ πππππ πππ ππππππ, ππ πππ πππππ ππππ ππ πππππ πππ π ππππππ ππππππππ ππ πππππππππ πππ πππππππ.”
Career Record and Future Outlook
At the time of his retirement announcement, de Kock had hinted at the possibility of returning for South Africaβs 2027 home World Cup, though he downplayed the chances.
“π¨π ππππ πππππ, π° π ππ’π πππππππ ππ πππππππππ. π©ππ πππ πππππ ππππ. πΊππππππ ππππππ ππππππ ππ ππππ,” ππ ππππ ππππ.
De Kockβs record speaks volumes about his impact:
- 155 ODIs: 6770 runs at an average of 45.74, strike rate 96.64
- 92 T20Is: 2584 runs at a strike rate of 138.32
- Featured in three ODI World Cups (2015, 2019, 2023)
His comeback adds firepower to South Africaβs batting lineup, as the team gears up for important fixtures and eyes the long-term goal of the 2027 World Cup.
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