IPL 2022: Exclusive - We're not natural-born activists, says Quinton de Kock

Lucknow Super Giants' Quinton de Kock breaks the silence in a candid conversation with TOILucknow Super Giants stalwart Quinton de Kock's easy-going demeanour hides a razor-sharp intellect and steely determination. Having left Test cricket behind and shed the pain and anger of being misunderstood about his intentions when he refused to take a knee in the T20 World Cup, the South African cricketer has taken fresh guard with a brand new IPL franchise and is raring to go. Excerpts from an interaction...The 52-ball 80 against Delhi Capitals showed you have hit your stride early with Lucknow Super Giants...The whole team's done really well. We're disappointed to lose the last game (to Rajasthan Royals) but everyone is contributing. That's been the key for us. It hasn't been just one or two players.

To what extent has your T20 batting approach changed from, say, 2012, when you came under the South African selectors' radar following a Champions League game for Lions against Mumbai Indians, to now?The amount of T20 games has helped. Myself of 10 years ago, I was still a baby. I was still learning about cricket. I thought just like a kid… turn up and hit the ball, see it and play it. Now I've changed. I'm older. I see the game differently now. I play the situation. I'm a senior member of the teams I'm playing in. I like taking that responsibility of helping out captains and other senior players if I can and if they need my help. I just like to share my experiences these days, with youngsters too. This is your fifth IPL team, so you've had an inside view of the tournament's evolution. How have the demands changed from a player's perspective?It's changed a little bit. The standard of the game is getting much higher. You watch all