In 2022, De Kock announced his retirement from Test cricket. The Cricket World Cup will mark the end of his one-day international career at a time when many players are maturing.
Quinton de Kock is a cricket maverick who loves nothing more than his downtime, which he spends golfing and fishing. At the age of 30, he believes he has fulfilled his obligations to the international stage.
The stroke-playing batsman and wicketkeeper claims, "I've played a lot of cricket already."
In 2022, he announced his retirement from Test cricket, and the Cricket World Cup will mark the end of his one-day international career at a time when many players are maturing.
He will continue to be available for international Twenty20 competitions, but it seems that only when they don't conflict with more advantageous franchise opportunities.
De Kock has committed to playing in Australia's Big Bash League, therefore he will likely miss a T20 series against India in December.
Cricket South Africa appears to have conceded to the fact that they will need to be adaptable if they want their great players to be available for important competitions like the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States next year.
De Kock made his debut for the Gauteng provincial squad at the age of 15 in an unofficial game against a Durham visiting side.
At the age of 16, he made his List A debut. At the age of 17, he began playing first-class cricket. Four days later, he made his T20 international debut for South Africa.
The gifted left-hander has steadfastly gone about things his own way, showing little sign of being intimidated by his quick rise to cricketing glory.
When De Kock, then 15 years old, went out to face a Durham attack that comprised England fast bowlers Steve Harmison, Liam Plunkett, and Graham Onions, the tale goes, he neglected to put on a thigh pad.
I honestly don't recall, but I think it's accurate," he says.
At every level, he achieved nearly instant success. Before he was 21, he scored three consecutive one-day international century against India.
He now has 17 one-day hundreds to his name going into the World Cup. He always bats first and scores quickly.
Take the knee’ drama
He has one T20 international century and six Test centuries to his credit.
When CSA ordered him to "take the knee" in support of the Black Lives Matter movement at the last minute, he declined, not because he disagreed with the cause but because of how it was handled. As a result, he missed a game at the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates in 2021.
He has led South Africa in all three forms prior to that incident.
Although he freely confesses, "I don't mind captaining, I was pretty happy to hand it over," he never gave off the impression that he was completely at ease in the position. It's just not truly who I am.
De Kock asserted early in his career that he didn't research possible opponents, even at an era where video analysis is constantly mentioned.
That continues to be his outlook.
In essence, I perform what is in front of me. Videos can be viewed, but it isn't the same as being there.
He doesn't even consider practising or playing cricket while he's not at the game.
He resides in Knysna, a well-known tourist destination on a sizable lagoon about five hours from Cape Town, where cricket is easily forgotten.
He says, "I like to play golf, go fishing, and spend time with my family.
When I'm home, I never handle a bat. We play cricket so frequently that it's like riding a bike. I only need a few nets when I join the team to be ready to play.
When I'm at home, I don't handle any bats. We play cricket so frequently that it's like riding a bike. I only need a few nets when I join the team to be ready to play.
Barry Richards, a great former South Africa cricketer who is 78 years old and old enough to be his grandfather, is one of his regular golfing partners.
We reside in the same complex, so we see each other virtually daily.
Do they discuss cricket? "Really not. We may discuss it briefly, but, like me, he prefers to chat about other topics.
I'll do everything I can to win the World Cup. The International Cricket Council event is something I'd like to mark off', he says.
He might play T20 cricket for a maximum of five or six years after that before quitting the game.
"When I stop playing, I don't see myself having any involvement with the game. I desire a life outside of cricket.
