Quinton de Kock Will Not Continue As South Africa's Test Captain Admits Mark Boucher
Published - 04 Feb 2021, 04:00 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:40 AM
South Africa’s head coach Mark Boucher has admitted Quinton de Kock won’t be continuing as South Africa’s Test captain due to the extra responsibility affecting his batting. Quinton de Kock has been made the captain temporarily for the tour of Pakistan as South Africa is still searching for the right candidate and there has been a slump in form for the elegant left-hander after he has taken over the captaincy.
South Africa on their first tour to Pakistan since 2007, have lost the first Test in the two-match test series. They were outplayed in the spin bowling department and the burden of captaincy had a part to play in de Kock’s role as a batsman too who has scored only 45 runs in 3 Tests so far at an average of 15 which is way below his career average of more than 37 in Tests. De Kock led South Africa to a 2-0 series win against Sri Lanka but failed to score as a batsman.
Mark Boucher Trying To Get The Best Out of de Kock
Mark Boucher feels that it will be tough on De Kock if he is not scoring runs and the added pressure of captaincy. He wants to make use of a quality player like De Kock and hence Boucher is hoping to take a call on the right candidate for being captain before the next Test summer. The Test series between Australia and South Africa has been cancelled right now and Boucher is planning to use the break wisely.
“It’s been tough on Quinny. If you’re not scoring runs it gets highlighted, especially if you’re a captain.
“When we get back after this tour we’ve got a bit of time before our next Test series so we can sit down and make a good, solid call on who can take over from him and release him from that burden and try and get the best out of him,” Mark Boucher said.
Pakistan Series Hanging In Balance
Meanwhile, the second Test has started for South Africa against Pakistan at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium and Quinton de Kock will be looking to win this Test and level the series which will be a great achievement for the touring nation on subcontinent pitches. Pakistan lost three wickets early in the day but Fawad Alam and Babar Azam have managed to stick a partnership going in the second session on day one of the second Test.
South Africa needs to bat well and keep taking wickets at regular intervals to have a chance of coming back in the series which looks very bleak now.
