In a major development, South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton De Kock has announced retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect. The Proteas lost the first Test against India in Centurion on Thursday, December 30. In the process, they are trailing the series 0-1.

Quinton De Kock scored a valiant 34 in the second innings with the hosts needing 305 to win the first Test. De Kock was scheduled to miss the next two Test matches owing to the birth of his first child.

Cricket South Africa released an official statement on De Kock’s retirement hours after their loss at Centurion. The southpaw retires from the format with 3,300 runs at 38.82 with six centuries in 54 matches.

Quinton De Kocks Stuns Cricketing World With Sudden Test Retirement

“This is not a decision that I have come to very easily,” the release quoted De Kock as saying. “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. 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.

“I love Test cricket and I love representing my country and all that it comes with. I’ve enjoyed the ups and the downs, the celebrations and even the disappointments, but now I’ve found something that I love even more.

“In life, you can buy almost everything except for time, and right now, it’s time to do right by the people that mean the most to me. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been a part of my Test cricket journey from the very beginning. To my coaches, teammates, the various management teams and my family and friends – I couldn’t have shown up as I did without your support.

“This is not the end of my career as a Protea, I’m fully committed to white-ball cricket and representing my country to the best of my ability for the foreseeable future” said De Kock in the statement.

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