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South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock had announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect after the 113-run defeat in the Centurion Test against India. The wicketkeeper-batsman had cited the need to spend time with his family as a reason to retire from the longest format of the game.
Now, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has come out and slammed De Kock for his decision to retire from Test cricket. In his recent YouTube video, Butt mentioned that sudden retirements like these spoil the team’s balance and also affects the captain’s mindset.
"Playing strange cricket"
“Quinton de Kock had been playing strange cricket for the last year and a half. He came to Pakistan as captain but did not continue in the role afterward. Now, after playing one Test, he has announced his (Test) retirement. Such things spoil the team’s balance, the selection policy and affect the captain’s mindset,” Butt said.
The 37-year-old former opening batsman asked whether De Kock does not think of family when he plays overseas leagues for almost 2-odd months.
“Players have made sudden retirement a drama. Don’t you think of family when you play overseas leagues for nearly 2 months? Why is it that only Test cricket comes in the way? You are playing cricket in your own country in South Africa. This lack of interest is related to league cricket,” Butt further added.
Boards have no say
Butt, went on to state that that because cricket boards have no say in a player’s retirement, players are carry on to misuse the liberty.
“Because cricket boards do not have a say in this, it is freedom at the cost of… I can’t explain. But some cricketers have started feeling that playing league cricket is enough. Why do they need to do the hard yards in Test cricket? This is not the attitude to play international cricket. Sorry, I have no good words for Quinton de Kock’s retirement.”
South Africa keeper De Kock made his Test debut in 2014 against the Aussies at Port Elizabeth and played 54 Test matches for his country. He scored 3300 runs at an average of 38.82, including six centuries and 22 half-centuries.
