Whether Quinton de Kock will ever be seen again in South Africa colours is a question that even those in the team management don't seem to have an answer to. The South Africa wicketkeeper-batter is yet to announce his international retirement but hasn't played for the Proteas since the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup.

While de Kock hasn't officially retired from international cricket, he no longer holds a national contract. He has been excluded from the South African T20 squads for two successive tours, with no indication as to whether he has been rested. The 31-year-old has played in the MLC and the CPL during this time.

South Africa white-ball coach Rob Walter said that he doesn't expect any clarity on de Kock's availability for international cricket for some time. "I don't know, to be dead honest. For the next little while, there will be no conversations between myself and Quinny as to whether he wants to play for South Africa again," Walter said at a press conference. "I've left the door open for him to approach me if and when he wants to do that. That might never happen."

'It's a performance-based conversation'

De Kock retired from Test cricket in 2021 and ODI cricket after the 2023 World Cup. He had been among the standout players in the latter tournament and was South Africa's highest run scorer in their run to the final in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Walter said that any conversation with de Kock will not exactly guarantee a return but South Africa are ready to let him play in leagues and give him his space.

"There might be a conversation and also that conversation does initially mean it will lead to him being selected," he said. “We have to just allow him to have his space, to play league cricket and to do what he needs to do. What will become more and more important is performance. He's not exactly old [de Kock is 31] so from here on in, it's a performance-based conversation,” said Walter.

Having made his international debut in a T20I against New Zealand in December 2012, De Kock is one of three South Africans to have scored over 10,000 runs in T20 cricket. He 2584 runs to his name in 92 T20 international matches for South Africa, along with 16 fifties and a century. He had scored 6770 runs at an average of 45. 74 in 155 ODI matches with 21 centuries and 30 half-centuries. He also played 54 Tests for South Africa, scoring 3300 runs at an average of 38.82 with six centuries and 22 half-centuries.

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