South African player Theunis de Bruyn announce retirement from international cricket

South African batter Theunis de Bruyn announced his retirement from international cricket on Thursday (February 16), as confirmed by the website of the Titans.

De Bruyn, 30, represented the Proteas men's team in 12 Tests and three T20 Internationals between 2017 and 2023. He last played in a South African shirt during the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the MCG last year.

The middle-order batter scored 468 runs in 25 innings at an average of 19.5, including one century. He scored 101 against Sri Lanka in the second Test in Colombo in 2018, but his knock went in vain as the visitors lost the game by 199 runs.

Theunis De Bruyn played in the second Test match against Australia to mark his return to Test cricket after three years. He missed the final Test in Sydney, as he returned to South Africa for the birth of his child.

In a statement published on the Titans' website of the Titans, De Bruyn said:

"I’ve been fortunate to represent my country at the highest level of cricket, and that’s been the proudest moment of my career. The bonds I’ve formed, lessons I’ve learnt, skills I’ve developed and my growth as a human being would not have been possible without the experience of playing international cricket."

He added:

"I’ve lived a childhood dream, shared dressing rooms with my heroes and played cricket at some of the world’s most iconic venues, and I can’t say thank you enough for the opportunities I’ve got through this game. Looking back at everything that I’ve achieved, it is time I say goodbye to international cricket and focus on the next chapter."

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Theunis de Bruyn became South Africa's first concussion replacement

During the third Test between India and South Africa in Ranchi in 2019, Proteas opener Dean Elgar was hit on the helmet by a rising Umesh Yadav delivery on the third day.

Elgar immediately fell to the ground and was taken to hospital during the tea break. The current Proteas Test captain did not take further part in the contest, and Theunis de Bruyn was named as a concussion substitute, the first for South Africa, after the rule came into being in August 2019.

De Bruyn scored 30 off 49, studded with four boundaries and a six, before he was caught by Wriddhiman Saha off Shahbaz Nadeem.