Jacques Kallis: A man of all ages

Bangalore: Players like him come once in many generations! His instinctive ability to grasp, adjust and deliver is what made him such an outstanding cricketer. Cool and restrained on the field, Jacques Kallis was a synergy of physical and mental strength.

Making his debut for South Africa against England in the year 1995, Kallis came a long way from establishing himself as a player in the national side to becoming the most successful all-rounder in the world. He was good not just with the bat and ball in hand, but was also the most dependable fielder in the slip cordon, blessed with the safest pair of hands.

The greatness of Kallis lies in the fact that any young cricketer can imitate him and become a better player by just looking at his approach at the batting crease. He did not have the flamboyance of many great cricketers, neither was he intimidating with the bat in hand, but just about had enough which would always keep his team in the hunt.

South Africa was always blessed with great all-rounders but none better than Kallis, who is the only cricketer in the history of the game to have picked up more than 250 wickets and scored 11,000 Test runs. Add another 200 catches with that and it becomes almost a monument of achievements. Test cricket is not that easy or is it?

Kallis almost did the job of three players in the team and to make it look that simple is probably what makes a recipe for success. The fact which separates him from the rest is that he always made a common man believe that he can just pick up a cricket bat and play, much like Dravid. The simplicity which he brought to the cricket field is unique and probably would be the last of the real Test match players to bid adieu to the game.

Kallis was a true technician with the bat in hand but his bowling was no less and literally brought everything to the table and that made him an asset to the team. Generally a placid and undemonstrative man, Kallis made the No 3 batting position much of his own and soon became a pain for the opponents as he piled on the runs at utmost ease. 

Given his impressive all-round record, Kallis has also been compared with Sir Garfield Sobers. In November 2012, noted journalist Gideon Haigh wrote in The Australian that statistically, they were almost inseparable; Sobers scored 8032 at an average of 58 and took 235 wickets at an average of 34, while Kallis at the time of writing averaged 57 with the bat and 33 with the ball.

Whatever said and done, Jacques Kallis calling it a day will put an end to a career which has mesmerized a million hearts!

Kallis bids adieu to Test cricket in fairytale script

Kallis bids adieu to Test cricket in fairytale script

Durban: Jacques Kallis, one of the greatest all-rounders of the game, today bid adieu to Test cricket after an illustrious 18-year career in a fairytale script as he hit a century in his swansong match in South Africa's 10-wicket thrashing of India here today.

The script for Kallis' Test retirement could not have been better as he ended his career as the third highest run- getter in the longest format of the game, besides also bowing out with a win by his side.

The 38-year-old 'King' Kallis ended his Test career on 13,289 runs from 166 Tests, only behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921) and Ricky Ponting (13,378) in the all-time list.

His batting average stood at an outstanding 55.37 and has also taken 292 wickets and 200 catches. His 45 tons in Test cricket is only second to Tendulkar's 51.

Kallis will continue to play in the One-Day Internationals and he has so far scored 11,574 runs from 325 ODI matches and has taken 273 wickets at an average of 31.79.

The burly South African, who made his Test debut against England here in December 1995, acknowledged that the script could not have been better.

"It's been incredible, the way people have come out to support me, the way CSA and my team-mates have made it a special game. I could not have asked for more," Kallis said after South Africa clinched the two-match series against India 1-0 here.

"Tough call (to retire from Tests). I still had the same butterflies ahead of this game, thanks to M S (Dhoni) and the (Indian) team for the guard of honour, I was glad I didn't face the next ball then," said Kallis who hit 115 in South Africa's first innings. He did not need to bat in the second innings.

After South Africa wrapped up the second Test, Kallis was taken for a lap of honour at Kingsmead Stadium with captain Graeme Smith and Morne Morkel lifting him on their shoulders in front of a small crowd who applauded him by showing placards which read 'Farewell King Kallis', 'Salute the King' and 'Kallis, the Greatest Cricketer of All Time'.

His South African team-mates applauded him with all of them, including him, wearing shirts on the back of which was written 'The only cricketer who has scored more than 10,000 runs and taken more than 200 wickets'. Kallis waved to his fans and toasted a can of beer towards the crowd before himself having a ship.

Kallis took the occasion to thank his parents, family members, his team-mates, coaches, South African Cricket Board and the fans.

"Cricket will be missed but more than that I will miss all those time spent with my team-mates at the changing room, those days in times of victory and defeat.

"I've been fortunate to have had great coaches throughout the career, my friends and family have put up with me being away, will be nice to catch up with them. So many people to thank. Two of the most important people, who aren't there, so 'Mum, Dad I hope I've made you proud'."

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni paid tribute to Kallis for his exploits on a cricket field.

"Jacques Kallis has been a fantastic cricketer, doesn't talk much. Youngsters would look upto him. Not just the runs he scored or the wickets he took, even the catches he took. He gave South Africa the luxury of playing an extra batsman," Dhoni said.

"A fast bowling all-rounder, Kallis has done a great service to South African cricket. He bat at the top order and as a fast bowler, he bowled 140 kmph in his early days though he slowed down to 130s later. The number of catches he took, South Africa have been really fortunate to have him in his side.

Proteas captain Graeme Smith said the team will miss him.

"We are going to miss him. Not only a team-mate who has played with me so many matches, he has been a good friend of mine and he will remain so. I am sure he will be the team whenever we need him," Smith said.

"I think he is going to play a lot of golf."