Veteran South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis yesterday reached a milestone in his career by scoring 13,000 runs in Test cricket becoming the fourth player in the World and 1st South African to do so. The 37 year old reached this figure when he edged Doug Bracewell to four in the first Test of the ongoing South Africa-New Zealand Test series. The crowd gave him a standing ovation when he took off his helmet after reaching this huge achievement. The veteran also completed his 57th Test fifty in this match as well.
Is Jacques Kallis the best all-rounder ever?
Kallis who made his Test debut against England in 1995 has so far played 158 matches scoring 13,040 runs at an average of 56.92 and also have forty four 100’s to his name standing very next to Sachin Tendulkar’s fifty one Test tons. He is the record holder for appearing in the highest number of matches by a South African ever in Tests and ODIs. His career best in Tests (224) came exactly a year ago against Sri Lanka, which helped South Africa to win the Test and the series 2-1. His first ever double century in Tests came in the 1st Test against India in 2010, an unbeaten 201 from him gave South Africa an innings victory. Not only in his batting, he has shown his class act in bowling too. Picking up 282 Test wickets he is all set to reach 300 wickets which will be a record for him, both as a bowler and an all-rounder too!
Kallis is the first player in Test cricket history to score 13,000 runs and take 280+ wickets, an impossible record to beat for the cricketers in future. In ODIs he has scored more than 11,000 runs at an average of 45.26 in 321 matches and took 270 wickets. He has aplayed some match winning knocks in this format too. He is also a part of the South African T20 team and has played 25 T20I’s, scoring 666 runs at an average of 35. Kallis is the star player for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL and played an important role in the team’s last year IPL win. His timely 68-runs in the IPL final took the game away from the former champions Chennai Super Kings. With all these fame to his name, Kallis is one of the best cricketer the world has ever seen and he is definitely The best all-rounder in recent times. A real gem for South Africa above all!
Tags: All-rounder, Cricket, IPL, Jacques Kallis, Kolkata Knight Riders, South Africa, Test Cricket
