Winning is all that matters for De Kock on return to Proteas

“Honestly I just wanted to get back and win games for the Proteas again — that is pretty much what it comes down to. There’s nothing else to it,” Quinton de Kock said about his decision to reverse his retirement from international cricket.

As simple as his motivation is, the moment before he picked up the phone and called Shukri Conrad in August was filled with uncertainty. “I was very unsure — if I should or not.”

His inclusion in the Proteas T20 and ODI squads to play against Namibia and Pakistan caught many in South Africa by surprise. As did his decision to retire from the international game a few months before the 2023 World Cup. “Anyone who knows me, knows I like to do my own thing,” he remarked.

By then De Kock had been retired from Test cricket for two years, a decision made in the middle of a home series with India, which, at the time, also shocked teammates and coaches. Then it was about his family — his wife Sasha gave birth two weeks later — and the restrictive pressures of playing in the Covid “bio bubble”.

His decision to retire in 2023 was more personal. “I was pretty tired of being a Protea at that stage and the life of being a Protea. I’ve been playing with the Proteas for over a decade, I was quite tired of the whole thing; all the travel and representing my country,” De Kock explained.

“All the time I have been a Protea and dealing with some of the losses myself and teammates have dealt with over the years, in World Cups and all these things, had been a burden on me personally and for me to carry on being a Protea, it kind of broke me.

“Mentally it took a toll on me. It is tough dealing with losses the whole time when your expectation is so high. Eventually I decided, look, I don’t know if I can carry on doing this.”

De Kock poured everything into the ODI World Cup in India, where South Africa came up short in a tight semifinal against Australia. It was similar the next year in the T20 World Cup, where again the Proteas lost narrowly to India in the final.

The last year he has skipped between franchise leagues in South Africa, India, the Caribbean and the US. De Kock admits he was anxious when contemplating his return. “Speaking to Shukri was the easy part. Shuks and I have a very good relationship. We are very honest with each other.

“But I’m stepping back into something that made me stop playing cricket.

“I was nervous about getting back into a system where I know that dealing with certain pressures and heartbreaks takes a toll. For me to come into that, that’s what made me tentative to make that phone call.”

De Kock spent time talking to people he trusted, which included former Proteas coach Russell Domingo, with whom De Kock worked for the bulk of his international career. In talking to Domingo he also chose to sign provincially for the DP World Lions. “He said that if I was coming back, and I needed the opportunity to play T20 or 50-over cricket, then I could get some games. There are also some things that I want to work on with my game specifically and he said he was happy to help.”

The presence of former teammate Hashim Amla and Allan Donald on the Lions’ coaching staff — another duo De Kock trusts — made the decision to return to the Lions, where he started his professional career, an easy one.

Having taken those steps, De Kock must now look forward. Most intriguingly, supporters are already looking towards the big events on the horizon. So, is the 2027 World Cup, which will be held on South African soil, a big deal for him? “I guess so, that’s one of the few reasons I put my name in,” De Kock said.

“Obviously it’s a big step. There will be a couple of guys who will be playing in their first ODI World Cup and they’re lucky, they get to do it for the first time in their own country.

“It is a big thing. There is some seriously good talent in the team at the moment, and they seem to be playing really well. Actually I’ve not really thought about the 2027 World Cup, I haven’t even thought about (next year’s) T20 World Cup. I’m just trying to focus on trying to figure out how I will score runs in the next series, if I get the opportunity. I’m just trying to take it one step at a time.”

De Kock and the squad to face Namibia in a one-off T20 International will head to Windhoek on Thursday. He will then travel to Pakistan, where he is part of both the T20 and One-Day International squads. The ODI side will be captained by Matthew Breetzke, but De Kock understands the vital leadership role he will have in that inexperienced group.

“I’ll help where I can. I know Matty, I played with him for three years at Durban Super Giants (in the SA20). He’s going to be pretty excited. He’s got captaincy experience and he’s been doing really well on the international stage.

“But to be honest I have to try and find my own feet and fit into a place where I haven’t been for a while.”