Quinton de Kock now holds no grudge towards David Warner as the duo prepares to face each other during Australia's limited-overs tour to South Africa, beginning February 21, two years after the bitter altercation between them in the Durban Test of the Aussie's controversial 2018 tour to the rainbow nation.
A fierce verbal altercation was observed between Warner and De Kock at the Kingsmead where the former had to be restrained in a stairwell as the players left the field at tea on the fourth day.
Warner had later claimed that De Kock made “a comment that was vile and disgusting and about my wife" but it is the Aussie opener who was lashed out a fine of $13,500 fine and three demerit points for his disappointing off-field behaviour.
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This was before Warner and the then captain Steve Smith were banned for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal that happened in the ill-fated hours at Cape Town, the venue for the third Test.
"We haven’t had any conversations, but I think both of us have moved on," De Kock told reporters ahead of the first T20I at Jo'burg. "We both just love to play the game really hard. I don’t think anything will happen, we will just carry on with the way we need to go about things."
"If a player on either side decides to take an opponent on, then maybe that fierceness from both teams will reignite. But we will both continue to just play the game hard."
De Kock is also pleased to have the now former skipper Faf du Plessis back in the ranks after being rested for the limited-overs leg of England's just-concluded visit to the country. Du Plessis, whose future has been a topic of debates with his insipid form coinciding with Proteas' worst period in terms of results since readmission, will be hoping to rejuvenate himself with runs during these T20Is and the ODI series that follows.
"It’s great to have him back, he is excited about going forward now,” De Kock said. “He understands he has a big role to play for us, is still seen as a leader among us and is one of our senior players in the team."
"The captaincy has kept my energy up, in time I will get the chance to sit down, I’m sure. But for now, there is a bigger picture on hand for myself,” added the 27-year-old who is relishing the extra responsibility.
(Inputs from Reuters)
