Herschelle Gibbs says Quinton de Kock can be proud of what he achieved in ODI cricket.
De Kock announced before the 2023 World Cup that he would retire from the 50-over game at the end of the tournament.
The 30-year-old went on to score 594 runs at an average of 59.40 and a strike rate of 107.02, including four centuries.
It was the third-most runs scored at the 2023 edition and the most by a wicketkeeper in World Cup history.
De Kock will continue to play T20 international cricket for the Proteas, with another T20 World Cup set to take place next year, while cashing in on lucrative T20 franchise leagues around the world.
“He obviously will know why he’s decided to retire,” Gibbs told News24.
“I just thought he freed up his mind completely. He was obviously on a mission to go out with a bang, and that’s exactly what he did.
“He’s been fantastic as an opener, and his record speaks for itself. He’s given plenty of people so much enjoyment and lots of entertainment. So, he can feel very proud of what he’s achieved with regards to ODI cricket.”
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The former Proteas opener said the flagging 50-over format of the game had been given a boost in India.
“For me, it’s even more entertaining than T20. There’s a lot of fight shown in 50 overs, and you get to carry the momentum through the middle period and finish off well in the 10 overs.
“You look at the way India played some of the cricket; they have just been phenomenal, and so have New Zealand, who nearly chased 390. That’s crazy cricket.
“If people can’t understand the value in that and see how good that is compared to T20, then they don’t know cricket.
“Nowadays, you see so much of T20, you get the same sort of results game after game.”
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Photo: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP
