On Heinrich Klaasen’s retirement, South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad remarked, “I haven’t even spoken to him about it.”

Heinrich Klaasen‘s retirement from international cricket was discussed by Shukri Conrad. The loss of a player of Klaasen’s calibre disappointed the South African coach. He went on to say that he had not discussed the famous player’s retirement with him. Conrad asserted that the batsman-wicketkeeper had already decided against accepting the primary deal.

Conrad told the media that he thought the middle-order batsman was among the finest in the world during the South Africa vs. Zimbabwe practice match before the WTC Final 2025. Conrad thought it would be sad if Heinrich Klaasen decided not to talk to him about preferring to play in leagues rather than country, even if he had no idea why he had moved.

“You would undoubtedly be disappointed to lose a player of Heinrich Klaasen’s ability. However, if you wish to promote the idea that I am the common component, then feel free to do so. Heinrich and I haven’t even reached out. Long before I was even an idea in the white-ball space, he rejected the deal,” Conrad said.

“The loss of a player of his quality is truly regrettable. He is among the top middle-order white ball hitters in the world, if not the best. We didn’t speak,” Conrad continued, “so I’d be sad if it [Heinrich Klaasen retiring to favour leagues] was.

Heinrich Klaasen is someone I know from his time at the academy: Conrad

The South African coach claimed that if the players had signed contracts with other league teams prior to his ascension to power, he would not have meddled. Conrad asserted that he knew Heinrich Klaasen from his academy days and that it would be unexpected if Klaasen decided to play leagues across the country without speaking to him.

“I think if guys pre-signed deals prior to me coming on board, I certainly wasn’t going to come in there and say, ‘Well, you have got to withdraw from whatever you pre-signed’,” the coach from South Africa said in Arundel.

Therefore, I would be sad if it was the reason he retired without ever speaking to me. According to what little I do know, Heinrich was a member of the academy’s team when I was the coach there. If he had that kind of shortsightedness, I’d be shocked,” Conrad said.