Heinrich Klaasen shocked everyone when he called it quits from international cricket in June 2025. Regarded as one of the best batsmen in the T20 format, Klaasen was at his peak and played a big role in South Africa’s run to the finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Since then, Klaasen has featured in various leagues around the world and continues to impress in the ongoing IPL 2026 campaign. Such has been the 34-year-old’s form, Kevin Pietersen urged Cricket South Africa call and get him back in the squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
So, will Klaasen return? Speaking to Sports Today in an exclusive chat, the new co-owner of the Rotterdam franchise in the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) said an international comeback is off the table for him and his focus is on growing the game at the moment.
Klaasen said his focus will now be on the ETPL and getting Rotterdam fans to rally around the new team.
“No, unfortunately not. For me, I’m looking forward to what’s a new chapter in my life and developing the game of cricket. I’m really looking forward to the partnership with Rotterdam and we’re pushing really hard to make this thing happen and to make sure we’re running a professional business and we’re looking forward to getting the community behind us and getting the right infrastructure and the right people behind us,” Klaasen said.
WHAT IS THE SECRET OF KLAASEN IPL 2026 SUCCESS
Klaasen found himself second on the list for the orange cap with 414 runs from nine matches. While someone like Nicholas Pooran, who has also retired from international cricket, is struggling for form, the South African batsman continues to grow steadily.
So what is the secret to Klaasen’s success? Well, according to the SRH star, there is nothing at all and only faith. Klaasen pointed to the example of Faf du Plessis, his co-owner at Rotterdam, and how he continued to age like fine wine after retiring from international cricket and playing in T20 leagues around the world.
“I don’t think there’s any secret to it. I think it’s belief. If you look at our co-partner, Faf du Plessis, he’s like old wine. The longer he plays, the better he gets. So since he retired from international cricket, he’s dominated leagues around the world.
So it shows you that it is possible. It’s just that you have to care a little bit more about the field and what you’re doing and how you’re preparing for the big leagues. It’s not like you can take a vacation and just walk into these leagues,” Klaasen said.
Klaasen said that preparation before entering the league is important and the only advantage for him at the moment is that he goes into the league like the IPL mentally fresh.
“It’s a few weeks to months of preparation to make sure you’re at least up to speed with the game, and then maybe come in a few weeks early to get some proper warm-up games. So it’s just a change in structure and how you do it than what you would normally do. But it’s doable.”
“The only benefit for me at the moment is that I’m mentally fresh when you come into a league like this. It makes it a lot easier,” Klaasen said.
SRH will be next in action on May 3 against KKR in Hyderabad.
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Published on:
May 1, 2026 11:37 AM IST
