Heinrich Klaasen Calls Time on International Career: 'The Joy Was Gone'

Lunga Biyela

Proteas

’ white-ball wicketkeeper

Heinrich Klaasen

dropped a bombshell last week
when he announced his retirement from international cricket
.

A report in Afrikaans newspaper

Rapport

has revealed that Heinrich’s original plan was to play on until the 2027 Cricket World Cup right here in South Africa, but he decided to call it quits after white-ball head coach Rob Walter resigned.

Speaking to the publication, Klaasen said he hadn’t been enjoying his cricket for a while and had a long conversation with Walter to discuss where he was at.

“I had a long conversation with [former Proteas coach]

Rob Walter

before the Champions Trophy and I told him I didn’t feel good in my heart about what was happening; I wasn’t enjoying it as much… We talked nicely, we planned everything – well up until the World Cup tournament in 2027,” the 33-year-old said, according to the publication.

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Klaasen and Walter agreed on a plan that would allow him to play in the

SA20

,

IPL

, MLC, and The Hundred while continuing with the Proteas. However,

Cricket South Africa

was not happy that he would miss the tour to Australia in August.

When Walter resigned and his negotiations with Cricket South Africa collapsed, Heinrich said that made the decision to retire from international cricket an easier one.

“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,” Klaasen said on social media last week when announcing his decision.

“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.”

According to CSA’s head of national teams Enoch Nkwe, the mother body and Klaasen sat down to try and find a solution, but they could not meet in the middle in their negotiations.

“We had a contract on the table. With such negotiations, it’s always back and forth to try to reach a place where both parties are satisfied. We tried to find each other, but unfortunately, it didn’t happen,” Nkwe said.

Klaasen also stated that his decision to retire was taken before Shukri Conrad’s appointment as the Proteas’ coach for all formats, insisting the two had a “very good relationship.”

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