Heinrich Klaasen’s sudden and unexpected retirement from international cricket on Monday represented the biggest loss to the Proteas white ball teams since AB de Villiers walked away from the national team at the age of 34 in 2018. Klaasen turns 34 next month.
Klaasen may not be at the peak of his game — the high point of his talent may be yet to come as his 37-ball century for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) just a couple of weeks ago will attest. He will be hugely missed in the middle order and even behind the stumps, but his menacing presence will be missed most.
It is not always possible to appreciate the effect your own players have on the opposition when you are within the team but there are plenty of bowlers around the world who will readily admit they feared him. There were plenty of highlights during his limited overs career but the 174 from just 83 balls against Australia at Centurion ranks among the most destructive ODI centuries ever.
England captain Jos Buttler said after Klaasen’s 109 from 67 balls had destroyed his team at the Wankhede Stadium during the 2023 World Cup that it was “one of the best 50-over innings I’ve seen”, which was remarkable and rare praise in the immediate aftermath of a heavy defeat.
There were, of course, also lowlights. His wonderful, counter-attacking 52 from just 27 balls in the T20 World Cup final last year ended with a catch on the boundary when he was just a couple more lusty blows from all but winning the game. But he never regretted the shot — “only the execution of it. It was the right shot and the right time to play it”.
Klaasen never pigeon-holed himself as a white-ball specialist. In fact, he loved red-ball cricket and dreamed of playing more Test matches, as the very best and most versatile players always do (when fit enough.) But after his fourth he was dropped by coach Shukri Conrad and left shocked. He retired from the format in January 2024 but never really recovered from the manner of his axing.
When Conrad was appointed in May as the multi-format national coach Klaasen, who had not accepted a national contract, may not have been able to see a way forward. Conrad was adamant that “all our players must be available for selection. If they make themselves unavailable for selection, well, that’s a decision they’ve made and the path that they’ve chosen.”
It wasn’t just that Klaasen had signed contracts with the Seattle Orcas and Manchester Originals in the MLC and Hundred competitions, which clashed with SA fixtures in July and August. A T20 series against Zimbabwe, in fairness, should not be for the likes of Klaasen. But it wasn’t just about the money. After all, he’s just finished an IPL season for which he was paid about R45m. It was also a personality issue.
“My road to wearing the Proteas shirt was different than most and there were certain coaches in my career that kept believing in me — to them I will always be grateful,” said Klaasen in his statement yesterday. And there were also, of course, coaches who did not believe in him and who told him so.
The problem with Conrad’s determination to field the strongest Proteas team in every game is that it is unworkable. Professional sport has changed and cricket is at the forefront of the change. Just look at how profoundly the Springboks had to change their selection criteria in order to allow the best players to play for their country and be paid vast salaries in France and Japan. Look how far the All Blacks have fallen behind by insisting they choose only locally based players.
Farewell, Klaasy. You were bold, on and off the field. And, as you said yesterday, you will now be able to spend a lot more time with your young family. No individual is bigger than any team, especially national teams, but yours will be very big boots to fill.
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