"With Quinny, at times, you can expect anything"- Temba Bavuma reveals he had no clue about Quinton de Kock's ODI retirement

South African ODI captain Temba Bavuma claimed that he had no idea that his opening partner Quinton de Kock had decided to bid adieu to ODI cricket after the World Cup to be played in India this year.

Bavuma heaped praise on the explosive opening batter and also shed light on how far their friendship has come by playing cricket together over the years.

Speaking to the reporters ahead of the first ODI against Australia, here's what Temba Bavuma had to say about Quinton de Kock:

"I wasn't in the loop, as per his thinking or decision. With Quinny, at times, you can expect anything. It doesn't change how we see the guy. It's always been a pleasure playing with Quinton from our Under-15 days at school. He is an incredible player, talented; too much talent. He will be a big loss to South Africa at least in the ODI stuff."

He further added:

"He is one of the guys I lean on from a tactical point of view. Not having him within the space is going to be a bit of a challenge but it's something we will have to overcome."

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This year is the freest I have seen Quinton de Kock: Temba Bavuma

Temba Bavuma claimed that Quinton de Kock has been a lot open when it came to bonding with his teammates than he was before. He reckons that maybe the southpaw making the decision to move away from the longer formats has freed him up mentally.

On this, Bavuma stated:

"This year is the freest I have ever seen him be in and around the team. He has been a lot more bubblier, always cracking jokes and starting banter within the guys. I guess, maybe he made the decision a long time ago and it was about finding the right time to let everyone know. He has chosen his route, he is going to go the T20 route - the format he has succeeded quite well in. All we can do is wish him the best."

De Kock will play his final ODI series at home against Australia with the first game at Bloemfontein.