IND vs SA: De Kock reveals why he reversed international retirement; rules out Test return for now
“You never know what you have until you’ve lost it” — This quote from Quinton de Kock effectively conveyed why the South African opener returned to international cricket.
During the post-match press conference after the Proteas’ 51-run win over India, De Kock shed light on his retirement U-turn.
“Prior to my retirement, I was losing my hunger to win games, specifically for the Proteas…. and that time away just brought back my hunger,” he said at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium here on Thursday.
“I was quite exhausted from international cricket. So, my break was much needed. Now, when I came back, I’ve got a lot of energy that I can put back towards the team.”
“I want to play for as long as I can now, where I don’t think I could have had that mindset if I (had) carried on playing. I would have probably finished my career earlier… but now, I can prolong my career. I feel fitter than ever, and I’m not mentally exhausted.”
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The opener added that playing T20 leagues around the world helped his cause.
“I did not change much while I was away. I know world cricket is changing, at least in the T20 game. However, I thought I could still keep up with the way I play,” he said.
When asked whether he would consider making a return to Test cricket, an honest and short reply ensued. “[You are] not the only one asking. As of now, no. It’s a straight no.”
Published on Dec 12, 2025
