Quinton de Kock admits he hesitated before picking up the phone to call coach Shukri Conrad about making his international comeback.
The 32-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman – who retired from ODIs after the 2023 World Cup and stepped away from T20Is following last year’s global tournament – is back in the Proteas’ white-ball squads for this month’s series in Pakistan.
“Honestly, I just wanted to get back and win games for the Proteas again – that’s pretty much what it comes down to. There’s nothing else to it,” De Kock told the Sunday Times. “But I was very unsure – if I should or not.”
De Kock’s surprise U-turn comes after a turbulent few years. He retired from Test cricket in 2021 to spend more time with family, then walked away from the limited-overs formats two years later, worn down by the mental toll of constant travel and World Cup heartbreaks.
“I was pretty tired of being a Protea at that stage,” he said. “I’ve been playing with the Proteas for over a decade. All the travel and representing my country – it kind of broke me.
“Mentally it took a toll on me. It’s tough dealing with losses when expectations are so high. Eventually I decided, I don’t know if I can carry on doing this.”
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Since last year’s T20 World Cup final, which the Proteas lost to India by seven runs, De Kock has played in franchise leagues in India, the Caribbean and the US.
“I was nervous about getting back into a system where I know dealing with certain pressures and heartbreaks takes a toll,” he admitted. “Speaking to Shukri was the easy part — we’re very honest with each other. But making that phone call wasn’t.”
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De Kock was asked if the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa is a big deal for him.
“I guess so, that’s one of the few reasons I put my name in,” he said. “It’s a big thing. There’s some seriously good talent in the team at the moment, and they seem to be playing really well.
“I haven’t really thought about the 2027 World Cup, or even next year’s T20 World Cup. I’m just trying to figure out how I’ll score runs in the next series. I’m taking it one step at a time.”
Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images
