Henrich Klaasen is a cricketer from South Africa. He was born in Pretoria in Transvaal on 30th July 1991. He is a wicket-keeper and right-hand batsman. His emergence in South African cricket came at a time when Quinton de Kock has nailed down a place in the South African team across all formats. Klaasen is popular for clean-hitting and he has also made himself adapt in glove-work. He studied at Menlopark High School and then the University of Pretoria.

Klaasen had a passion for cricket since his school days and he used to play for University regularly. Coach of Cricket South Africa’s national academy Shukri Conrad had once stated that Klaasen can be ‘M.S Dhoni' of South Africa in the future having watched Klaasen’s cool temperament as well as his ability to change the complexion of the game by big-hitting strokes.

Klaasen made his debut in First-class cricket for Northerns in 2012. He failed to impress in his maiden appearance, being out for only 7 runs playing 10 deliveries. However, Klaasen, shrugging off his initial failure, accumulated an average of 42.58 in the Provincial Three-Day competition in his first year. He shined in the following year, averaging 52.10, and then in 2014 Klaasen had a performance that drew attention. He finished the season with an average of 65.25. Klaasen has participated in 75 First-class matches so far and scored 4534 runs at an average of 44.01 with 10 centuries and 21 fifties including his best score of 201. In the List ‘A’ cricket Klaasen has amassed 2192 in 76 matches at an average of 37.79 including two centuries and 16 fifties.

Klaasen made his debut in the One-Day International a year before he participated in the Test. He played his first ODI against India also at Cape Town in 2018 replacing injured Quinton de Kock but failed to fulfill expectation as he was out for only 6 runs of the bowling of Yajuvendra Chahal. But in his 2nd ODI, in the 4th ODI of the series, Klaasen looked in form as he had scored a match-winning 43 off 27 deliveries to win his first international man-of-the-match award. He struck his maiden century in the ODI against Australia, scoring an unbeaten 123 in February this year. Klaasen has so far taken part in 17 ODIs and gathered 493 runs at an average of 41.08 including his best score of unbeaten 123.

Henrich Klaasen has participated in only one Test against India in October last year. The match which was a part of the ICC World Test Championship took place at Ranchi. Klaasen was not impressive in his debut Test, scoring 6 runs in the first innings and 5 in the second innings.

Henrich Klaasen has already participated in the Indian Premier League, represented RR - Rajasthan in 2018, replacing Steven Smith and then RCB - Bangalore last year. His performance in South African leading Twenty20 League Mzansi Super League and other competitions in the shortest format lured Indian Premier League teams to show interest in him. But Klaasen played only four matches for RR - Rajasthan and scored 57 runs while for the RCB - Bangalore Klaasen scored only 9 runs in 3 matches. He was released by RCB in the auction for 2020 IPL.

Henrich Klaasen has debuted in T20 International in 2018 against India at Johannesburg but he scored only 16 runs playing eight deliveries. The 29-year-old wicket-keeper batsman has participated in 13 T20Is so far and scored 271 runs at an average of 24.63. His highest in the T20Is has been 69.

NA