At 29, Quinton de Kock announces retirement from Test cricket
Johannesburg(PTI): South Africa's star wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock on Thursday announced his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect, said the country's apex body, CSA, hours after the team's defeat in the first Test against India.
A former Test captain, De Kock is only 29 and it is believed that he will continue playing in the white-ball formats for the Proteas, with a lot of focus on franchise-based T20 leagues.
"De Kock has cited his intentions to spend more time with his growing family for the timing and reason for his relatively early retirement from the format. He and his wife, Sasha, are anticipating the imminent birth of their first-born child in the coming days," Cricket South Africa (CSA) said in a statement.
On his part, the player said that it wasn't an easy decision.
"This is not a decision that I have come to very easily. I have taken a lot of time to think about what my future looks like and what needs to take priority in my life now that Sasha and I are about to welcome our first child into this world and look to grow our family beyond that," De Kock said.
"My family is everything to me and I want to have the time and space to be able to be with them during this new and exciting chapter of our lives."
De Kock made his Proteas Test debut against Australia in Gqeberha in 2014. In 54 matches, he scored 3300 runs with a highest score of 141 not out, at an average of 38.82 and strike rate of 70.93.
He has six centuries and 22 half-centuries under his belt along with 232 dismissals, which includes 221 catches and 11 stumpings.
De Kock has also taken the third-most number of catches in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship -- 48 in 11 matches (47 catches and 1 stumping) and has a personal best of six dismissals in an innings, against England in Centurion in 2019.
South Africa lost the opening Test to India by 113 runs in Centurion.
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Hemant Karkare killed by RSS-linked cop, not Kasab: Maharashtra LoP Vijay Wadettiwar
BJP writes to ECI for action against Cong leader Wadettiwar for 'defaming' Ujjwal Nikam
Mumbai, May 5: The BJP has written to the Election Commission of India seeking action against Congress and the opposition leader, Vijay Wadettiwar, for allegedly peddling lies and defaming its Mumbai North Central nominee and ex-26/11 prosecution lawyer Ujjwal Nikam.
Wadettiwar, the leader of the opposition in the Maharashtra legislative assembly, purportedly called Nikam an "anti-national" and accused him of hiding the information that then Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare wasn't killed by Kasab's bullet during the 26/11 terror attack, but fell to a bullet of a policeman affiliated to RSS.
His allegations were based on the book "Who Killed Karkare" written by retired police officer SM Mushriff.
"As a responsible leader, the opposition leader should desist from making such comments that can help the enemy nation," Nikam said.
Terming Wadettiwar's statements as "false and not based on facts", Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shekar claimed they were aimed at defaming Ujjwal Nikam and inciting emotions.
"We have written to the Election Commission of India seeking action against Wadettiwar who is a star campaigner (of Congress) and also against the Congress party for peddling lies," he added.
Shelar further said (Ajmal) Kasab was sentenced to death for killing innocent people after following a due process of law.
Kasab was the lone terrorist who was captured alive by Mumbai Police during the 26/11 terror attack by Pakistani terrorists in which at least 166 people were killed and several others were injured.
Shelar wondered whether Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray supported the statement made by the Congress leader.
A former special public prosecutor, Nikam had represented the state in high-profile cases like the Mumbai serial bomb blasts and the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.
He is making his political foray from Mumbai North Central seat on a BJP ticket and is pitted against city Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad.
