New Delhi: After a brief international hiatus, Quinton de Kock has made a resounding return to the South African ODI team. Known for his explosive batting and consistent performances, de Kock silenced his critics with brilliant innings in the series against Pakistan , writing another golden chapter in his career.
A Blistering Start to the Comeback
De Kock initially played four T20 matches after his return – one against Namibia and three against Pakistan – but his bat didn’t fire there. However, as soon as he stepped into the ODI format, everything changed. In his first ODI after the 2023 World Cup, he smashed a brilliant 63 runs off 71 balls, making his intentions clear.
An Impressive Comeback with Consistent Performances
He found his rhythm in the first innings and converted it into a big score in the second. In the second ODI, de Kock scored an unbeaten 123 runs, guiding South Africa to victory. In the third ODI as well, he scored 53 runs off 70 balls before being dismissed lbw by Mohammad Nawaz. Three half-centuries in three matches shows the strong mindset with which de Kock has returned.
Achieving the Historic Milestone of 7,000 Runs
De Kock started this series with 6,770 runs. By scoring a total of 239 runs in three matches, he crossed the 7,000-run mark. He achieved this feat in just 158 innings – thus becoming the third-fastest batsman in ODI history to reach this milestone. In this list, de Kock surpassed Virat Kohli (161 innings) and Kane Williamson (159 innings), while Hashim Amla (150 innings) remains the fastest.
A Rapid Career and a Golden Record
De Kock’s career trajectory has been phenomenal from the very beginning. He is the ninth-fastest to reach 6,000 runs (142 innings), jointly the seventh-fastest to reach 5,000 (116 innings), and the eighth-fastest batsman to reach 4,000 runs (94 innings). His return not only gives his career a new lease of life but also strengthens South Africa’s batting tradition, once graced by the likes of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers.
Fastest to 7,000 ODI runs (in terms of innings)
| Player | Opposition | Ground | Match Date | Debut | Time | Matches | Inns |
| Hashim Amla (SA) | v England | Lord’s | 29 May 2017 | 9 Mar 2008 | 9y 81d | 153 | 150 |
| Quinton de Kock (SA) | v Pakistan | Faisalabad | 8 Nov 2025 | 19 Jan 2013 | 12y 293d | 158 | 158 |
| Kane Williamson (NZ) | v South Africa | Lahore | 10 Feb 2025 | 10 Aug 2010 | 14y 184d | 167 | 159 |
| Virat Kohli (IND) | v Australia | Melbourne | 17 Jan 2016 | 18 Aug 2008 | 7y 152d | 169 | 161 |
| AB de Villiers (Afr/SA) | v Australia | W.A.C.A | 14 Nov 2014 | 2 Feb 2005 | 9y 285d | 172 | 166 |
| Joe Root (ENG) | v West Indies | Cardiff | 1 Jun 2025 | 11 Jan 2013 | 12y 141d | 179 | 168 |
| Sourav Ganguly (IND) | v Kenya | Paarl | 24 Oct 2001 | 11 Jan 1992 | 9y 286d | 180 | 174 |
| Rohit Sharma (IND) | v Pakistan | Dubai (DICS) | 23 Sep 2018 | 23 Jun 2007 | 11y 92d | 187 | 181 |
| Brian Lara (WI) | v South Africa | St George’s | 6 May 2001 | 9 Nov 1990 | 10y 178d | 187 | 183 |
| Martin Guptill (NZ) | v Netherlands | Hamilton | 4 Apr 2022 | 10 Jan 2009 | 13y 84d | 189 | 186 |
StoryHighlights:
- Quinton de Kock returned to South Africa’s white-ball team after reversing his international retirement.
- He played innings of 63, 123, and 53 runs* respectively in three ODIs against Pakistan.
- He completed 7,000 ODI runs in just 158 innings, becoming the third-fastest batsman to reach the milestone.
- He surpassed Virat Kohli (161) and Kane Williamson (159), while Hashim Amla (150) remains the fastest.