He will continue to be available for South Africa in white-ball formats
With immediate effect, Heinrich Klaasen has announced his retirement from Test cricket. Klaasen will remain available in white-ball competitions for South Africa.
Between 2019 and 2023, Klaasen participated in four Test matches; the most recent one was against the West Indies in the summer.
After Dean Elgar’s Test career ended with the New Year’s Test against India, he is the second senior player to leave the format. Although Klaasen was left off the squad in favor of Kyle Verreynne, Test coach Shukri Conrad insisted that Klaasen remained in his plans.
Conrad stated as recently as February of last year that he thought Klaasen was a “better batter” and hence preferred him over Verreynne. With a top-score of 20, Klaasen scored 56 runs in four innings against the West Indies, and Verreynne ended up third in the first-class league last season.
Verreynne was Conrad’s choice against India, although at the time of the squad’s announcement, it was stated that Klaasen would probably play in Tests in Bangladesh and the West Indies later this year. Klaasen has withdrawn from consideration for those tours as of right now.
Although he gave no explanation for his retirement, it is likely that Klaasen is chasing T20 leagues at this point in his career given his obligations in the MLC, IPL, and Hundred.
“I have made the decision to retire from red-ball cricket after a few restless nights wondering if I am making the correct choice. It’s a tough choice I’ve had to make because it’s my favorite game format by far,” he added in a statement. “I became the cricket player I am today because of the struggles I overcame both on and off the field. It has been an amazing experience, and I’m happy that I had the opportunity to represent my nation. The most priceless cap I have ever been given is my baggy Test cap.”
In 2024, South Africa will play seven more Tests: two in the West Indies and Bangladesh, two at home against Sri Lanka, and one against Pakistan. From January 2025 until September 2026, there will be no home Test matches. For the 2023–2025 World Test Championship cycle, they will only play in two-match series, and it is believed that some players will need to reprioritize their availability between formats due to the lack of long-format games.
