Quinton de Kock makes ODI retirement u-turn after two years

De Kock retired from the 50-over format at the end of the 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup, and last played T20I cricket in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados in June 2024. 

Coach Shukri Conrad has explained that the 32-year-old is the one who approached him, citing his desire to return to the international stage in both white ball formats.

"It was quite interesting, when we got to Australia – in the middle of the night we got to Darwin and I just put my head on the pillow at about 2am, when my phone rang," said Conrad.

"It was Quinny – and I chatted for a bit and I said I'd come back to him in a couple of days, and I chatted to a few people and, ja, the rest is history. It's great to have him back on board."

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The coach denied that de Kock’s return is motivated by the upcoming T20 World Cup next year and the 50-over World Cup on home soil in 2027.

"Those were some of the questions, it's obviously as to why you want to be returning to both formats in the white ball space, and Quinny has expressed the desire to play for South Africa again in both white-ball formats, however we choose to use him," he insisted.

"So there's by no means any guarantees with regards to World Cups or anything, we've got a great opportunity to get him playing in this Pakistan series, and then we'll see how this goes.

"If everything adds up – form, fitness, etc. then he obviously stakes a massive claim to be included in the T20 World Cup to start off with."