Quinton de Kock

Quinton de Kock grew up in a cricketing family in Johannesburg and rose through King Edward VII School as a prodigy whose left-handed striking and athletic glovework drew early comparisons with Adam Gilchrist. He announced himself in 2013 with three consecutive ODI hundreds against India, a 21-year-old taking apart a full-strength attack, and for the next decade he was the heartbeat of South Africa's limited-overs sides, attacking from the very first ball.

As a Test wicketkeeper-batter he scored six centuries and captained South Africa, having also led the country in both white-ball formats. He walked away from Test cricket abruptly at the end of 2021, at just 29, to protect his family life and his white-ball career. The decision paid off at the 2023 World Cup, where he piled up four centuries and 594 runs, the most by a South African in a single tournament, before retiring from ODIs. He bowed out of T20 internationals after helping South Africa reach the 2024 T20 World Cup final.

De Kock remains a headline act in franchise cricket. He won IPL titles with Mumbai Indians, scored heavily for Lucknow Super Giants and joined Kolkata Knight Riders in 2025, while also starring in the SA20. Fearless, street-smart and stubborn, he can still change the course of a game in a single over.