“I didn’t really care whether the team won or not” - Heinrich Klaasen makes a stunning revelation on his sudden retirement

Former South African dashing batter Heinrich Klaasen made a stunning revelation a few days after announcing his sudden retirement from international cricket. Klaasen was last seen playing international cricket in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in February in Pakistan.

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However, the keeper-batter was overlooked by Cricket South Africa (CSA) in the newly announced central contracts. The explosive batter stated that he was really in a bad state of not enjoying his performances, and didn't really care about his team’s victories.

"I felt for a long time that I didn't really care about any of my performances and whether the team won or not. That's the wrong place to be. I had a long conversation with Rob [Walter] before the Champions Trophy, and I told him I didn't feel good in my heart about what was going on. I wasn't enjoying it that much," Wisden quoted Klaasen as saying to Rapport.

It’s important to note that Rob Walter resigned as the South African national team’s head coach. With this, Klaasen’s hopes of playing until the end of the ICC ODI World Cup 2027 also came to an end as he announced his retirement. 

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"We talked nicely, we planned everything nicely up to and including the World Cup in 2027. So when he finished as coach and the [contract] negotiations [with CSA] didn't go as planned, it made my decision a lot easier," he added.

"Now I can spend six, seven months at home. My family needs it, it's been a long four years with a lot of travel. I need a little rest," said Klaasen," he stated.

Notably, Klaasen was a member of the South Africa national team that featured in the recent ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, and the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025.

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