I never played cricket with baggage: De Kock on his return

Quinton de Kock seems to have found another gear since his return to cricket and the South African attributed the new-found freedom in his batting to a mind without any “baggage.”

De Kock decided to come in from the cold in October 2025 during a T20I match against Namibia after retiring from Tests and ODIs, while his future in the shortest format was also unknown after staying away from it since the T20 World Cup final in 2024. “I don’t think I’ve ever played cricket with baggage. My mindset has always been about trying to win. If I turn up mentally switched on, I’m satisfied, whether I succeed or fail,” De Kock told select media after a SA20 match between his side Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Pretoria Capitals here.

“The only time I’m disappointed is when I’m not mentally present and make unnecessary mistakes,” he added. True to his words, the left-hander has been in good touch in both ODIs and T20s since his return to SA fold. In six ODIs, three each against Pakistan and India, De Kock has made 353 runs at an average of 70.60, while 8 T20Is (4 vs India, 3 vs Pakistan and 1 vs Namibia) have yielded 187 runs at a strike-rate close to 140.

Now, De Kock wants to translate his current form and knowledge of Indian conditions to the benefit of South Africa in the upcoming T20 World Cup. “I know the conditions very well. I’ve been touring India for many years now. If I don’t understand the conditions by now, then I haven’t done something right. “My role going into the World Cup is to share that knowledge with the younger players, especially those who haven’t played at certain venues,” he said. South Africa had a successful visit to India recently where they won the

Test series 2-0, and ran the home side close in the white ball leg. But the 33-year-old felt that that tour will have no bearing on South Africa’s outing in the World Cup. “Form honestly means very little when it comes to World Cups. I’ve seen players with no form come in and score heavily, and players in great form struggle.

“World Cups are different. The pressure is different, the environment is different. Playing in India, the crowds will be massive and noisy. It’s a completely different challenge,” he noted. Underlining his growing touch, De Kock smashed a 41-ball 79, powering Sunrisers Eastern Cape to a 10-wicket win over Pretoria Capitals.

The wicketkeeper batter is now the highest run-getter in this edition of SA20 with 205 runs from four matches at an average of 68.33. De Kock was delighted to see the growth of SA20 over the four editions. “A Monday game and a packed house says everything about how the league is growing. I’ve been in Centurion for many years, and there’s always been a strong crowd here.       (PTI )