Quinton de Kock wasn’t the part of South Africa team in Tuesday’s clash vs West Indies where Proteas beat the defending champions by 8 wickets.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma has backed de Kock’s decision and said he respects the wicketkeeper’s decision.
“Quinton is an adult. He’s a man in his own shoes. We respect his decision. We respect his convictions,” Bavuma, who is South Africa’s first black cricket captain, said at a media interaction after his side defeated the defending champions by eight wickets.
“When the news hit us it did kind of take us back as a team,” Bavuma said of the decision by De Kock.
“A guy like Quinnie, he obviously plays an integral role within the team, not just with the bat but as a senior player.
In de Kock’s absence Henrich Klassen has kept the wickets and Reeza Hendricks opened the innings for South Africa.
“But with that, (Heinrich) Klaasen coming in there was an opportunity for him, it was another game of cricket that we had to play for our country and we had to live up to that.”
