How Quinton de Kock's 'think less, play better' philosophy has revitalised his Proteas career

Oxymoron.

The English dictionary defines it as a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

Quinton de Kock may possibly not know the meaning of the term, but only he would be capable of explaining his recent good form in this manner. 

“I don't really think about it much,” De Kock said, after being named Player of the T20I Series against the West Indies. “Just been playing, use my brain a bit.”

So, while not thinking, but using his brain, De Kock has scored 330 runs in 10 T20I’s at an average of 33.00 and strike-rate of 189.65 since his return to international cricket last November.

Add on a further 353 runs at 70.60 at an average of 97.51 in ODIs, coupled with 390 runs at a strike-rate of 148.75 in the recent Betway SA20, and it would be fair to suggest De Kock’s international sabbatical has been a resounding success.

“My two-year retirement did me well,” De Kock said, “I am happy to be back and happy to be playing cricket again for the country.

“When you have played so many times, it automatically happens. I just try and react to things. It comes naturally.”

De Kock will be at the forefront of the Proteas T20 World Cup challenge, which gets underway in India next Monday against Canada in Ahmedabad. 

But before the opening tie, the Proteas have a warm-up game against defending champions India in a rematch of the 2024 T20 World Cup final in Barbados at the DY Patil Stadium on Wednesday.

It will be a chance for the tourists to make the necessary adaptations to subcontinent conditions, although that should not be too demanding considering the majority of the squad spent a significant period of time in India late last year during the three-format tour.

It will also be the perfect opportunity for the Proteas to assess David Miller’s match fitness ahead of the T20 World Cup opener.

Miller was "medically cleared" to board the plane for the World Cup but had not played since the last group stages of the Betway SA20. He missed both of the Royals’ play-off matches and was rested from the recently concluded T20I series against West Indies.

Miller’s experience will be crucial for the Proteas as he too is heading to his sixth T20 World Cup and will be eager to make amends after being caught on the boundary at the start of the last over in the final two years ago when victory was inches away.

After facing Canada, the Proteas also play against Afghanistan, New Zealand and the UAE.