Cricket World Cup 2023 Aus vs SA | ODIs have been tiring for me for a couple of years: South Africa’s Quinton de Kock

Process: De Kock, who is coming off a century against Sri Lanka, said his side needs to stay consistent in the tournament.
| Photo Credit: MOORTHY RV

South Africa’s Quinton de Kock, who announced in September his decision to retire from ODIs after the World Cup, said that he felt the format was “quite tiring” for the last couple of years.

“I’m sure a lot of guys love the format. I’m not going to speak on behalf of everyone. For myself, it’s been doing it for a couple of years now, so I find it quite tiring,” he said on the eve of South Africa’s match against Australia in Lucknow.

At a time when the one-day format finds itself at a crossroads, de Kock believes ODIs will need to find a suitable place and time to continue being relevant.

The opener began his ODI swansong in style, smashing his maiden World Cup hundred against Sri Lanka in Delhi last week, in what was his 18th appearance at the showpiece event.

“I think I’ve been wanting a 100 for a while. Just for myself, I think it’s been a while. I’ve been getting off to a lot of starts and then not capitalising and just to get one to my name was pretty nice,” de Kock said.

Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram also got hundreds as South Africa piled up the highest total in World Cup history, and de Kock said that starting the campaign in such an emphatic fashion was a huge boost for their confidence, but also added that they would need to be a bit more consistent.