IND vs SA: I Am A Bit Shocked By His Decision- Alviro Petersen On Quinton De Kock's Test Retirement
Updated - 01 Jan 2022, 01:38 PM
Former South Africa batter Alviro Petersen expressed his surprise over wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock’ sudden retirement from Test cricket.
After playing 54 Test matches since 2014, De Kock announced his retirement from the oldest format after his side lost to India by 113 runs in the first Test in Centurion.
The 29-year-old amassed 3300 runs from 91 innings at an average of 38.82 and had scored 22 half-centuries and six hundreds in his nearly eight years of Test career.
Priorities have changed for players: Alviro Petersen on choosing the format
Peterson, who played 36 Test matches for South Africa between 2010-15, said players are focusing on setting their financial needs.
“I am surprised but you can also understand that all the lucrative T20 leagues around the world and The Hundred (franchise 100-ball cricket tournament in the UK) now have changed the mindset of players,” Petersen was quoted as saying by timeslive.co.za.
“In the past, Test cricket was the pinnacle and slowly that is being changed with guys looking after their financial wellbeing. Priorities have changed and he won’t struggle to get a T20 or The Hundred contract,” he added.
Quinton de Kock was not quite 100 per cent in the first Test: Alviro Petersen
De Kock hit the scores 34 & 21 in his final Test match against India in Centurion and showed some great intent with the bat in the second innings. The southpaw drove Bumrah for a couple of boundaries straight down the ground.
De Kock was knocked off by Mohammed Siraj before lunch on Day 5 and Petersen is of the opinion that the South African wicketkeeper-batter wasn’t giving his full concentration on the field.
“To be honest, I am a bit shocked by his decision. During the lunch break of day five in Centurion, I noticed that he was not quite 100 per cent because Quinny is a player who likes to play his shots,” Petersen said.
“Often when there is stuff happening with family or you are on a long tour, one foot is always on the plane and I had the sense that with him it was almost like one foot was already at home,” he added.
De Kock will continue to remain available for white-ball cricket for the Proteas. Western Province player Kyle Verreynne could get a long run in the red-ball format as de Kock’s replacement.
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Quinton de Kock South Africa national cricket team South Africa vs India 2021-22
