'I like the naans here in India'

South African cricketer and Delhi Daredevils’ star player Quinton De Kock has shown this Indian Premier League (IPL) what daredevilry with a bat means. He has been the powerhouse catapulting his team to most of its victories.

He has been noticed for his exceptional batting skills. But Quinton is as humble as can be and makes no bones about his achievements. “More than a personal victory, I look at it as a victory for the team. Our aim is to win this season of the IPL and I think we’re slowly but steadily inching towards that,” he says, rather confidently.

But Quinton wears his star status rather lightly. He has no airs in mixing around with people and is more than willing to talk about a host of issues which is also what makes this man interesting.

He began playing cricket when he was in school and says he was encouraged a great deal by his parents and sisters. “My sisters aren’t into sports and chose different professions but they were all very supportive,” he says. And now his girlfriend stands by him and cheers for him. 

He believes it is his determination and dedication to the sport that has brought him thus far. “If you are passionate about the sport, then nothing can stop you from reaching the top. I always look forward to playing cricket,” he adds. He also feels the IPL has changed the way people look at cricket and has given the game an altogether different twist. “It’s very encouraging to come out here in India and play cricket. People here are overenthusiastic and completely in sync with you on the game,” he says.

Quinton lives away from his family but he doesn’t seem to miss them too much. His two dogs — Mia and Jia — make sure he gets all the love and attention that they can give him when he’s home. “I travel a lot on work and get very little time to spend with my dogs but when I return, we more than make up for the lost time. What I get from my dogs is unconditional love,” he shares. In his absence, the pets are taken care of either by his girlfriend or his friends who generously pitch in to help.

The young cricketer doesn’t come across as someone who is particularly fussy about food or anything at all. About food, he says, “I like the ‘naans’ here in India but other than that, I eat anything that tastes good.”

On whether he makes time to travel around in between the matches, Quinton says, “There’s hardly any time and in the little time I get, I try and get some sleep.”