South African explosive opener Quinton de Kock reverses ODI retirement

With Aiden Markram leading the Test team, Matthew Breetzke leading the ODI team, and the seasoned David Miller leading the T20I leg, South Africa's multi-format tour of Pakistan will feature all new leaders in all different formats. However, the most shocking and big news for the fans was the return of Quinton de Kock.

The wicketkeeper-batter reversed his decision of retirement from the One-day Internationals post 2023 ODI World Cup. He has also not represented the Proteas side in any format since the 2024 T20 World Cup, where his team lost in the finals. He has been picked up in the T20Is as well as the ODI squads for the upcoming series.

The Proteas' white-ball outfit gains a great deal of experience with De Kock's decision to come out of retirement. According to head coach Shukri Conrad, de Kock committed to playing for South Africa once more in both white-ball forms after having fruitful talks with him. His comeback is essential as South Africa prepares for the Men's Cricket World Cup in 2027 and the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup, two forthcoming white-ball tournaments.

“Quinton’s return to the white-ball space is a major boost for us. When we spoke last month about his future, it was clear that he still has a strong ambition to represent his country. Everyone knows the quality he brings to the side, and having him back can only benefit the team," head coach Shukri Conrad said in an official statement.

At the age of 30, de Kock ended his ODI career following the 2023 World Cup in India. By that point, he had participated in 155 ODIs, amassed 6770 runs at a strike rate of 96.64 and an average of 45.74, including 21 hundreds. The left-hander kept playing in T20 internationals, but following the Proteas' loss in Barbados, he was left off the T20I teams for months. Former coach Rob Walter expressed doubts about the left-hander's future prospects.

His return to the side would surely boost the confidence of the team, further strengthening their team in the white ball formats.

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