The cricket assemblage has reacted with disbelief astatine Quinton de Kock's determination to basal himself down from South Africa's T20 World Cup lucifer against the West Indies.
The wicketkeeper-batter withdrew from the match, pursuing a directive from Cricket South Africa requiring each players to instrumentality a genu anterior to the game.
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The 28-year-old is yet to talk publically astir the matter, but his captain, Temba Bavuma conceded the squad had been blindsided by the decision, admitting helium wasn't definite if de Kock would instrumentality immoderate further portion successful the tournament.
"As a squad we are evidently amazed and taken aback by the news,'' Bavuma said aft South Africa's triumph implicit the West Indies.
"Quinton is an adult. He's a antheral successful his ain shoes. We respect his decision. We respect his convictions. I cognize helium volition beryllium lasting down immoderate determination helium has taken.
"I don't cognize however it's going to develop. It wouldn't beryllium my determination whether to regenerate Quinton oregon get a substitute.''
The contented archetypal came to a caput during the Proteas' opening lucifer of the tourney against Australia, erstwhile immoderate players knelt with a fist successful the air, others stood with a fist successful the air, portion immoderate stood with hands down their back.
While de Kock seemingly isn't comfy taking a genu earlier a match, a West Indian cricket podcast has pointed retired that helium had nary contented with symbolism of a antithetic kind.
After making a period successful the archetypal Test against the West Indies successful St Lucia earlier this year, de Kock made a manus motion to dedicate the innings to a person who mislaid his digit successful Afghanistan, arsenic good arsenic promoting the sanction of an organisation connected his bat that works towards conservation of rhinos.
"He intelligibly draws the enactment astatine anti-racism solidarity," the podcast tweeted, on with a representation of de Kock making the gesture.
"You batch formal it up however you want."
Former England cricket skipper Michael Vaughan has besides weighed in, suggesting the players should beryllium escaped to marque their ain decisions, without interference from Cricket South Africa.
"Surely it's down to the idiosyncratic to determine whether helium oregon she wants to beryllium progressive successful immoderate movement," helium tweeted.
"A cricket committee should petition players to bash it but if that idiosyncratic decides they don't privation excessively it should not halt them playing the crippled of cricket."
Vaughan's presumption is supported by erstwhile England batsman, Allan Lamb, who was calved successful South Africa.
"It's up to each individual, and I deliberation Quinton has the close to bash what helium wants," Lamb told GB News.
"If idiosyncratic doesn't privation to bash it, past we've got to judge that."
Leading commentator Harsha Bhogle has raised the anticipation that de Kock whitethorn not play planetary cricket again, a script that's not retired of the question fixed the riches connected connection connected the T20 circuit for a subordinate of his calibre.
"I fearfulness we haven't heard the past of the de Kock issue," Bhogle tweeted.
"I won't beryllium amazed if we don't spot him successful a Protea garment again."
West Indian skipper Kieron Pollard, a teammate of de Kock astatine the Mumbai Indians successful the IPL, said the substance was straightforward for his team.
"You guys cognize our thoughts connected this matter," helium explained.
"It's thing that we consciousness powerfully astir arsenic a squad and arsenic radical arsenic good and we volition proceed to bash it.
"Each and everyone has their ain opinions connected it, but arsenic I've ever said, erstwhile you're educated and you understand, we volition recognize wherefore you are doing it, but I deliberation acquisition benignant of is the key, and we don't privation anyone doing it for america successful solitude oregon to consciousness atrocious for us."
But Pollard refused to beryllium drawn connected whether de Kock's stance would impact his narration with the South African.
"I don't cognize the information and information of the existent matter," helium said.
"I can't conscionable instrumentality that and person an reply oregon speculation successful presumption of narration and each that. That's getting excessively heavy astatine this contiguous time.
"Yes, helium has been my teammate successful Mumbai Indians, we person played cricket together. That's wherever the subordinate stops successful presumption of everything else. Everything other is speculation. Let's spot what happens after. Let maine person an accidental to digest."
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