Former South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has shared his thoughts recently after announcing a shock retirement from cricket. Last week, Klaasen left the cricketing world surprised by announcing his retirement from international cricket. Klaasen played for South Africa in the Champions Trophy earlier this year, before being overlooked by Cricket South Africa (CSA) for a central contract as well.

“I felt for a long time that I didn’t really care about any of my performances and whether the team won or not. That’s the wrong place to be. I had a long conversation with Rob [Walter] before the Champions Trophy, and I told him I didn’t feel good in my heart about what was going on. I wasn’t enjoying it that much,” Wisden quoted Klaasen as saying to Rapport.

Klaasen also stated that he wanted to play until the 2027 ODI World Cup, but he changed his mind after head coach Rob Walter’s resignation.

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“We talked nicely, we planned everything nicely up to and including the World Cup in 2027. So when he finished as coach and the [contract] negotiations [with CSA] didn’t go as planned, it made my decision a lot easier,” he added.

He also expressed his desire to spend time with his family after stepping away from international cricket as well.

“Now I can spend six, seven months at home. My family needs it, it’s been a long four years with a lot of travel. I need a little rest,” said Klaasen,” he stated.

However, Heinrich Klaasen’s availability to play in the Major League Cricket (MLC) and The Hundred would see him away from the Zimbabwe-New Zealand tri-nation series and white-ball tour to Australia as well.

“Now I can spend six or seven months at home. My family needs it. It has been a long four years with a lot of travel. I need a little rest,” Heinrich Klaasen concluded.