Quinton de Kock Returns to South Africa’s ODI and T20 Squads as Retirement Ends

Johannesburg: Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock has decided to come out of retirement for one-day internationals, leading to his recall by South Africa for their upcoming ODIs and T20s against Pakistan, set to begin next month. De Kock, aged 32, had initially retired from 50-over internationals following the 2023 World Cup in India and has not participated in any format for the Proteas since the T20 World Cup final in June 2024.

According to BBC, De Kock had not officially retired from T20s, although he had stepped away from Test cricket in 2021 and was not offered a central contract last year. South Africa’s coach Shukri Conrad expressed enthusiasm about De Kock’s return, noting that during discussions about his future, De Kock demonstrated a strong desire to continue representing his country. Conrad highlighted the significant quality De Kock brings to the team, suggesting his presence will be beneficial.

This year, De Kock has only been active in T20 leagues, participating in the SA20 in South Africa, the Indian Premier League, Major League Cricket, and the Caribbean Premier League. Known for his prowess as a white-ball player, De Kock ranks among the top ODI century scorers since his debut in January 2013, trailing only behind Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He was also South Africa’s top run-scorer in the previous year’s T20 World Cup.

South Africa is scheduled to play two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20s in Pakistan, starting on October 12. With captain Temba Bavuma sidelined due to injury, Aiden Markram will assume the leadership role for the Tests, the first since South Africa’s World Test Championship victory in June. Donovan Ferreira will captain a one-off T20 match against Namibia following the Pakistan tour.

The squads for the Pakistan series feature a mix of experienced and emerging talent across the formats, with De Kock included in the T20 and ODI rosters. The Test squad will see Aiden Markram leading, while David Miller and Matthew Breetzke will captain the T20 and ODI squads, respectively.