“I will salute to him” Quinton de Kock on dedicating his ton to a friend who lost his finger in Afghanistan and for Rhino conservation.

South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock got back his form in the first Tests with an unbeaten 141 against West Indies, De Kock who was exceptional with his bat. He dedicated his innings to a friend who lost his finger in Afghanistan as well as to Rhino conservation in South Africa.

In the last seven Test innings, Quinton de Kock was struggling with his form, with the highest score of 39 runs, but the 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman roared back to form with his sensational knock of 141, against the Caribbean. De Kock celebrated both his half-century and his ton with finger gestures.

The feature shows, Quinton de Kock held the ring finger of his right hand down with his thumb and raised the other three fingers. The left-hander also held his bat up horizontally, so that the name Rockwood displayed on his bat could be seen importantly. Rockwood is an organization fighting to save the endangered rhino.

Explaining his celebration with gestures while speaking to the host broadcaster, the wicketkeeper-batsman said: “It’s just a friend group I have back home. A couple of people know I am doing this initiative with the rhino thing and one of my friends got his fingers shot off in Afghanistan, and I said I will salute to him.”

At a press conference, he also explained how he is involved with rhino conservation. Quinton de Kock quoted: “I am doing Rockwood and the Rhino conservation and it’s a whole group of us. The one night we had a braai and we started talking and I said his finger being shot off is quite a limelight in our group of friends so I said I will do that as an accolade for him. I couldn’t believe it happened the first time. I am sure my phone with the boys’ group is going to be buzzing.”

🔄 CHANGE OF INNINGS

Lungi Ngidi is the final wicket to fall as the #Proteas post 322 all out in the first innings to hold a 225-run lead.

De Kock remains unbeaten on 141

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— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) June 11, 2021

At the same press conference, he opened about the break given to him for the domestic T20 tournament. Quinton de Kock said “It didn’t have anything to do with the captaincy. It had to do with the Covid bubbles. Being under so many bubbles took its toll. It was just too much. I asked for a break; if I can just relax for the T20 series back home and they deemed it a mental [health] break. I wasn’t mentally tired, from cricket at least. I was just tired from bubbles. I had enough of them.”

Currently, in the St Lucia test, South Africa are in lead, After Quinton de Kock’s hundred took them to 322.