De Kock’s best effort since return provides tonic for Proteas

For the first time since returning to the international arena, Quinton de Kock produced a T20 innings that indicated he was worth a spot in the squad for next year’s World Cup.

In scoring 90 against India on Thursday night, De Kock borrowed an element from the success he’s had in the ODI format since his return – he gave himself time.

In doing so, he scored quickly and dominated the Power Play. “I was trying to get myself into a better position. I was irritated with myself in the previous game. The way I got out was very sloppy,” he said.

“If I stood a chance to score runs I knew I had to look after that in the first couple of balls, especially against Arshdeep and Bumrah because you can’t be loose. From there I let the instincts take over and I just kept making sure I was in good positions.”

De Kock faced half of the deliveries in the Power Play, scoring 34 runs, nearly two thirds of his side’s runs with the fielding restrictions in place. He blasted four sixes and one four and most importantly did so with little risk.

De Kock’s record in the five T20 Internationals since returning to the Proteas had not been encouraging. He scored one against Namibia in his first match back, and after the highest innings of 23 against Pakistan, he then made two ducks.

With Ryan Rickelton not picked for this series, De Kock has a big opportunity to book himself a ticket back to India in February for the World Cup, with Thursday night’s efforts going a long way towards fulfilling that ambition.

“Before my retirement I was losing my hunger to win games, specifically for the Proteas. That time away, just brought back my hunger. I was telling the guys that I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way,” said De Kock.

After the disastrous effort with both bat and ball in the first match, Thursday’s performance was much more in keeping with how SA needs to play if the side is going to contend next year. De Kock marshalled the innings almost perfectly and then David Miller – in his second match back since recovering from a calf injury – and Donovan Ferreira, delivered the kind of finishing that few are capable of doing.

Their fifth wicket partnership of 53 used up only 23 balls, as they punished the Indian bowlers who struggled to control a damp ball in the final four overs of the South African innings.

After Tuesday night’s lax effort with the ball, Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen provided a perfect start, using the new ball in a more threatening way and in the case of Jansen, producing a jaffer to dismiss Abishek Sharma. Whereas India almost matched the Proteas in terms of runs in the Power Play – mainly the result of Tilak Varma taking down Lutho Sipamla – the loss of three wickets in that period proved too hard to come back from.

The Proteas’ next goal will be replicating their efforts from the second match. The change to put Reeza Hendricks up the order and move Aiden Markram to no.3 – with Tristan Stubbs sitting out – does create stability in the top order. However Stubbs’ explosive batting is a weapon the Proteas need to find ways of using.

Corbin Bosch sat out again with Sipamla, a late replacement for the injured Kwena Maphaka, given another opportunity, although it’s unlikely his 2/46 in four overs moved the needle much on his World Cup chances.

With Sipamla and Ngidi the only two black Africans in the squad, the need to fulfill CSA’s targets, will likely see Sipamla have to continue playing, and Bosch most probably coming for Jansen at some stage over the remaining three matches.