Quinton de Kock’s participation in the upcoming white-ball home series against India in December hangs in the balance due to his prior commitments in the Big Bash League (BBL), as reported by ESPNcricinfo. De Kock, having inked a deal with the Melbourne Renegades for the BBL, is slated to take part in the tournament, which coincides with the India series scheduled to run from December 10th to 21st.
While Cricket South Africa (CSA) was aware of de Kock’s involvement in the BBL draft, they expect him to prioritize his commitment to the national team, given his central contract with the board.
“They are currently in talks with de Kock and several other players about managing their schedule to accommodate leagues while prioritizing international cricket,” the report stated.
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CSA’s preference is for de Kock to make himself available for the T20Is against India, which are slated for December 10, 12, and 14. These matches serve as South Africa’s sole T20I fixtures leading up to their participation in the T20 World Cup next year, set to be hosted in the West Indies and the USA. This would entail de Kock’s availability for just six matches with the Renegades.
BREAKING: Quinton de Kock will retire from ODI cricket following this year’s World Cup in India #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/K8a0JfP9Y2
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 5, 2023
Melbourne Renegades’ general manager James Rosengarten acknowledged the situation, saying, “We might get eight games (from him)” when asked about de Kock’s potential availability for the India series.
There exists the possibility that CSA may engage in negotiations to allow some of their prominent players to participate in various leagues while forgoing international duties, all to ensure their availability for major events like World Cups and to prevent premature retirements.
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In a surprising turn of events, de Kock had previously announced his retirement from Test cricket in December of the preceding year, citing family reasons following the birth of his daughter.
