Quinton de Kock will retire from ODI cricket after the World Cup in India but is likely to continue playing T20Is for South Africa until the 2024 World Cup.
Although no reason was given for de Kock's sudden decision to step away from the fifty-over format, less than two years after giving up Test cricket, ESPNcricinfo understands that his availability for South Africa was becoming an issue as he seeks to get more T20 league contracts around the world.
The situation came to a head when de Kock was picked up by Melbourne Renegades in Australia's BBL and committed to playing for them between December 10 and January 5. That meant he was going to make himself unavailable for the home white-ball series against India, which consists of three T20Is and three ODIs, from December 10 to 21.
On Monday, when CSA held talks with de Kock, sources told ESPNcricinfo that since de Kock remains centrally contracted, CSA expected him to be available for the T20Is. By Tuesday, de Kock's ODI retirement took him out of the picture for the ODIs against India. He also appeared to have reached a compromise with CSA that will allow him to go to the BBL and still play for South Africa at the T20 World Cup on the understanding that he is getting some game time - albeit not with the national side.
Is this concerning for CSA?
CSA have first-hand experience of what Walter is describing, with their own league: the SA20. The window for the tournament starts after the annual New Year's Test and ends a month later, with the upcoming edition clashing with South Africa's two-Test tour to New Zealand. Because CSA have made it obligatory for any of their players who get an SA20 deal to play in the franchise tournament, several first-choice Test players cannot travel to New Zealand. CSA confirmed that they will send a second-string Test side for that series but recognised that an increasing number of clashes could make playing full-strength sides impossible.
They are currently looking at ways to manage player contracts to accommodate league appearances and essentially, allow players to choose which international series they will play. This is in stark contrast to the situation four years ago, ahead of South Africa's 2019 ODI World Cup campaign. AB de Villiers had made himself available for the ODI squad after refusing to play any ODIs in the lead-up to the event but his offer was turned down. Then-coach and captain, Ottis Gibson and Faf du Plessis decided de Villiers' inclusion would be unfair on players who had been part of the build-up. That may no longer be the case.
"We are living in an ever-changing world of cricket where the league space is strong and becoming more powerful," Rob Walter, South Africa's white-ball coach said at the World Cup squad announcement in Bloemfontein. "The pull on players to be available for national teams as well as league sides and the inevitable clashing of those two which is what we are seeing now. It's happening already and it will continue to happen more.
"The most important thing is managing that whole situation, trying to understand the players' needs and obviously the needs of the South African side as we lead up to a World Cup. The benefit of it is that whatever happens our players will be playing T20 cricket and strong T20 cricket in the lead up to a World Cup. There is a lot of water yet to pass under the bridge. If we aren't malleable and flexible in the way we manage things, the inevitable end point is that players will leave the international game and follow the leagues, which is the last thing we want."
De Kock is now set to feature in the five-match ODI series starting September 7, which is South Africa's last outing before the World Cup. Overall, he has played 140 ODIs so far for 5966 runs at an average of 44.85 with 17 centuries and 29 half-centuries. According to Walter, de Kock has high hopes for his swansong in ODIs.
"He has got some unfinished business from a World Cup point of view. It is great to have his energy directed towards these five one-dayers and then a World Cup to follow," Walter said.