'I did not really care about my performances' - Klaasen opens up on retirement decision

South African cricketer Heinrich Klaasen announced his retirement from international cricket earlier in June. Likewise, his retirement from red-ball cricket, his decision to step away from the white-ball format also came as a surprise.

Klaasen revealed that he had initially planned to participate in the 2027 World Cup. But the recent resignation of white-ball coach Rob Walter left him in a dilemma. He also admitted that he was no longer enjoying the game, whether it was his performance or the outcome of the team’s matches.

“I felt for a long time that I didn’t really care about any of my performances and whether the team won or not. That’s the wrong place to be. I had a long conversation with Rob [Walter] before the Champions Trophy, and I told him I didn’t feel good in my heart about what was going on. I wasn’t enjoying it that much,” said Klaasen to Raport as quoted by Wisden.

“We talked nicely, we planned everything nicely up to and including the World Cup in 2027. So when he finished as coach and the [contract] negotiations [with CSA] didn’t go as planned, it made my decision a lot easier,” he added.

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Klaasen admitted in his retirement note that it was a sad day for him and that the decision had taken a long time to make.

“It is a sad day for me as I announce that I have decided to step away from international cricket. It took me a long time to decide what’s best for me and my family for the future. It was truly a very difficult decision but also one that I have absolute peace with. “From the first day, it was the biggest privilege representing my country and it was everything that I have worked for and dreamed about as a young boy,” the 33-year-old wrote on Instagram.

The wicketkeeper-batter represented the Proteas across all three formats, making 102 appearances, 4 Tests, 60 ODIs, and 58 T20Is. Since his debut in 2018, Klaasen scored 3,145 runs, including all four of his international centuries in ODIs.