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DE KOCK REIGNITES RICKELTON RIVALRY WITH SUPERB IPL TON FOR MI
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has added a compelling new chapter to the growing rivalry between Betway SA20 stars Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton, with the veteran showing his younger contemporary that he isn't ready to ride into the sunset just yet after a superb century for the Mumbai Indians.
The similarities between the pair - top-order, attacking wicketkeeper-batters who both happen to be left-handed - have only stoked the fire further, especially with the duo now both being part of the MI camp at the IPL.
Rickelton (29) was destined to be the heir to de Kock’s throne, particularly at the international level for the Proteas, but de Kock (33) was not ready to relinquish his position just yet after reversing his white-ball international retirement last year.
De Kock returned with a vengeance, scoring heavily in his comeback T20I series in Pakistan, where he was named Player of the Series. This had a debilitating effect on Rickelton, who was subsequently discarded for the India T20I series after a poor run of form in the preceding one-dayers.
The pair then went head-to-head during Betway SA20 Season 4. De Kock, playing for his new team, the Sunrisers Eastern Cape, thrived under the guidance of his former Proteas mentors Adrian Birrell and Russell Domingo, amassing a scorching 390 runs at a strike rate of 148.85.
Betway SA20 Season 4 say the best of Ryan Rickelton and, particularly, Quinton de Kock who became a title winner and the Betway Player of the Season
This performance not only saw de Kock top the competition's run-scoring charts but also helped the Sunrisers reclaim the championship title after relinquishing it to Rickelton’s MI Cape Town the previous season.
Rickelton was not far behind, though. Even while MI Cape Town's title defence was spiraling, the southpaw still blasted 337 runs - which included two centuries - at an average of 42.13 and a strike rate of 156.02. This saw Rickelton finish third on the Season 4 run charts, entrenching his position as the all-time leading Betway SA20 run-scorer.
The ICC T20 World Cup in India beckoned, and while Rickelton was initially overlooked, an injury to Durban’s Super Giants' Tony de Zorzi opened the door for "Ricks's" inclusion.
Rickelton, despite batting in the unusual position of No. 3 with de Kock partnering DSG captain Aiden Markram at the top of the order, blazed 228 runs (average: 32.57; strike rate: 170.14), outshining his senior partner's 181 runs (average: 22.62; strike rate: 135.07).
It was this form that prompted MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene to run with Rickelton, who promptly repaid the faith with a scintillating 80 in the first game, opening alongside former India T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma at the start of this season’s IPL.
The status quo remained intact for the first four matches before Sharma was ruled out of Thursday’s clash against the Punjab Kings due to injury. This prompted a recall for de Kock, who showcased his undeniable value with a superb 112 off 60 balls (8x4, 7x6).
Former Australia T20 World Cup-winning captain and opener Aaron Finch claimed de Kock was the ideal replacement to step in for MI after losing a player of Sharma's vast experience.
"The difference between Quinton de Kock and somebody else coming in that position, where you haven't played, where you've been sitting on the bench, is that he's probably pretty content with his career," Finch said on ESPNcricinfo's TimeOut show.
"He's thinking, you know what, I'm going to be back up to Ryan Rickelton most likely. He gets an opportunity when Rohit gets injured. He comes in and he's just relaxed, he's calm, his heart rate doesn't seem to be above 60 too often; nothing seems to faze him.
"So that just goes to show a guy who's really at peace with where his career's at, compared to somebody who might think, you know what, I need to get runs today to maybe get another opportunity.
“He's able to be a bit more free-flowing and just back his skill and not get too overawed by that situation, or what's down the track.”
But where does that leave Rickelton, whose form has dipped of late, when Sharma returns? This is especially pressing given that IPL franchises - in line with Betway SA20 regulations - are only allowed to field four overseas players in their starting XIs.
"You didn't ask me that question when Ryan got that 80 [81] against KKR," Jayawardene chirped after the Punjab Kings match.
"From the first game, you guys asked me: why Ryan, why not Quinny? And there was a reason for it. And when the time was right, we played Quinny, and he patiently waited like a good pro, and he executed a brilliant innings.
"These are the margins that we play [with]. I still feel that we are making the right decisions at the right time and going through… yeah, I mean, it's good to have that competition within the group as well."
