South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock shocked the cricketing fraternity after announcing his Test retirement on Thursday, hours after turning out in whites against India.

The cricketer, who was not expected to play the second Test of the series due to the birth of his child, announced that the reason behind his decision was the intention to spend more time with his family.

“This is not a decision that I have come to very easily. I have taken a lot of time to think about what my future looks like and what needs to take priority in my life now that Sasha and I are about to welcome our first child into this world and look to grow our family beyond that.

“My family is everything to me and I want to have the time and space to be able to be with them during this new and exciting chapter of our lives,” said de Kock in a statement.

The 29-year-old, however, is available to play ODIs and T20Is.

De Kock made his Test debut against Australia in 2014 and ended up with 3,300 runs in 54 Tests at an average of 38.82. The South Africa player scored six hundreds and 22 fifties in his red-ball career, and notched up 34 and 21 in his last two innings, against India.

His retirement, though, came as a surprise, with many pondering if prioritising the shorter formats would become an even bigger norm.

It is, indeed, true. Seminal moment in the history of world cricket, I suspect. https://t.co/4swwikAV58

— Neil Manthorp (@NeilManthorp) December 30, 2021

Quinton de Kock’s shock retirement should spark conversations around just how unattractive a Test career is to most players outside the richest 3-4 cricket nations..#SAvIND #dekock

— Hemant (@hemantbuch) December 30, 2021

On its own the Quinton De Kock retirement from Test Cricket is a consequence of the format becoming less important and the white ball stuff being the money maker

Put together with how CSA have treated Faf,Tahir & Morris this year it is hard not to think there is more to it…

— Tim Dale Lace (@Tim32_cricket) December 31, 2021

Seeing a lot of fingers pointed at CSA, Smith, Boucher, QdK’s knee, the IPL.

Make sure you save some vitriol for the broken system that has turned Test cricket into a pain in the arse outside three wealthy nations. A great talent leaving in his prime is a symptom of this.

— Daniel Gallan (@danielgallan) December 31, 2021

A few others could not digest their surprise at his sudden decision as South Africa continues to reel without several key players.

World cricket reaction on Quinton De Kock’s sudden retirement from Test cricket. pic.twitter.com/LwHbuPtJ9M

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 30, 2021

What a week for Test cricket. A 32-year-old Scott Boland, who thought his time & come and gone makes an incredible entry into Test cricket while 29-year-old Quinton de Kock, who came through the ranks as a prodigy & seemed to be nearing his peak makes a shock exit #SAvIND #Ashes

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) December 31, 2021

Quinton De Kock retires from Test cricket with immediate effect. He was expected to take the paternity leave but to announce retirement. Well…didn’t see this coming. Nobody did, I guess. All of 29. Already done with the longest format.

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 30, 2021

Others decided to applaud him for a career that had its glories.

Players to average more than Quinton de Kock with the bat while keeping wicket in Test cricket (min. 10 Tests):

De Villiers (57.41)
Flower (53.70)
Gilchrist (47.60)
Rizwan (43.59)
Ames (43.40)
Sangakkara (40.48)
Walcott (40.36)
Prior (40.18) pic.twitter.com/5LPwPgxiHB

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 30, 2021

Quinton de Kock 🇿🇦

Tests: 54 (2014-21)
Runs: 3,300 @ 38.82
100s: 6
50s: 22
HS: 141* v West Indies at St Lucia in 2021

WK Dismissals: 232 (2nd most for South Africa)
Catches: 221
Stumpings: 11

One of 12 wicket-keepers with 3,000+ runs & 200+ dismissals in Tests#SAvIND

— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) December 31, 2021