De Kock was set to miss the second and third Test as he prepares to welcome his first child with his wife Sasha, but he announced that he would step away from the format altogether.
The decision immediately strips South Africa of one of their finest wicketkeeper batters of any era, but it might just prove to be a blessing in disguise.
De Kock standing aside could open the door for the next generation to step in and step up for the Proteas.
The replacement elect should be Kyle Verreynne who has endured a cycle of frustration as he has performed well enough to garner call-ups but has found himself playing very little cricket as a result.
Verreynne should now be given his first chance to enjoy a prolonged stint in the Proteas setup with some on-field action.
He has the potential to become a huge asset for the national team with his batting potential arguably sufficient to suggest that he could nail down a top four place.
Verreynne’s inclusion will allow Temba Bavuma to continue batting at five and six where he is at his best and may improve the red-ball skills of the team.
With De Kock and Heinrich Klaasen still around in the white-ball formats the red-ball lifeline could prove vital to the development of Verreynne as a player.
The Proteas have a second back-up option in Lions keeper Ryan Rickelton but it would be sheer madness to insert him into the Test XI ahead of a player who so clearly deserves his shot in the ultimate format.
Verreynne needs to play, and in Test cricket he will face the kind of examination which will determine if he is as good as many pundits think he is.
De Kock’s impressive but ultimately short Test career will leave some wanting more, but Verreynne might yet prove to be a vital cog in Dean Elgar’s side.
