South Africa's wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen has announced retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect. Notably, head coach Shukri Conrad had recently stated that the cricketer is likely to feature in Tests later this year after preferred Kyle Verreynne over Klaasen for the recently concluded two-match Test series against India. Klaasen played only four Test matches for South Africa between 2019 and 2023 scoring 104 runs in eight innings at an average of 13 with no fifty or hundred to his name.
Meanwhile, Klaasen will remain available for the Proteas in white-ball cricket and had smashed 373 runs at the ODI World Cup last year in India at a strike-rate of 133.21. Overall, he has played 54 ODIs and 43 T20Is in his career so far and is the first-choice wicketkeeper for them in the shorter formats. Klaasen hasn't provided any specific reason for his retirement from red-ball cricket but admitted having a 'few sleepless nights' before making the decision. With committments in the Indian Premier League, MLC and the Hundred, he is likely to play more in T20 leagues now.
"After a few sleepless nights wondering if I am making the right decision, I have decided to retire from red-ball cricket. It's a difficult decision that I have made because it is by far my favourite format of the game. The battles that I faced on and off the field have made me the cricketer I am today. It has been a great journey and I am glad I could have represented my country. My baggy Test cap is the most precious cap I have ever been handed," Klaasen said in a statement.
Now that Klaasen has retired Verreynne is likely to get more chances despite not performing well against India. South Africa are scheduled to play seven more Tests in 2024 - two each in West Indies and Bangladesh, two at home against Sri Lanka and one against Pakistan. This is already the second Test retirement this year for them, with Dean Elgar already hanging his boots after the India series.
