Quinton de Kock: His FULL retirement statement

Proteas wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock announced his shock retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect on Thursday.

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The announcement came mere hours after the Proteas were thumped in the first Test against India at SuperSport Park in Centurion by 113 runs.

India took a crucial 1-0 lead in the three-match series – with South Africa now scrambling to find a replacement for De Kock with the second Test at the Wanderers starting on Monday, 3 January.

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De Kock, 29, has cited his intention to spend more time with his growing family for the timing and reason for his early retirement from the format.

He and his wife, Sasha, are anticipating the imminent birth of their first-born child in the coming days.

De Kock made his Proteas Test debut against Australia in Gqeberha in 2014.

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In 54 matches, he amassed 3 300 runs with a highest 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.

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.

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Quinton de Kock’s statement read as follows:

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. 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.

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.

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.

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 team-mates for the remainder of this Test series against India.

See you in the ODIs and T20s.

Quinny

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