'Feel this renewed energy that I did not have before'

Just a few games after his return to international cricket, Quinton de Kock has given South Africa and the world a glimpse of what they were missing.

- Shalini Gupta

After taking a much-needed break from the game, the Proteas opener has walked back into the side with the ease and fluency of someone who never truly left.His recent century at Visakhapatnam — marked by clean ball-striking, assured footwork and an unmistakable calmness at the crease — reminded the cricketing world of the impact he can have at the top of the order. In the same vein, his 46-ball knock of 90 runs in the second T20I against India showed off his class.

The 32-year-old had retired from ODIs after the 2023 World Cup and hadn't featured in T20Is since South Africa's defeat to India in the 2024 T20 World Cup final. The time away from the game has clearly helped.