Durban: Jaques Kallis, one of the greatest all rounders of the game, today announced his retirement from Test cricket after the Durban Test against India, starting tomorrow, but will continue to play in the One-day format.
The 38-year-old Kallis had made his debut against England in December 1995 and is third big player to quit Test cricket this season after Australian Ricky Ponting and Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar.
Going through a lean patch of late, Kallis has featured in 165 Tests for South Africa, scoring 13174 runs at a stunning average of 55.12. He also took 292 wickets and 199 Test catches, proving what a quality cricketer he has been for his team in the last 18 years.
With 44 hundreds under his belt, Kallis was closest to Tendulkar's record of 51 Test centuries and the possibility of surpassing incredible figure by any batsman has diminished further.
"It wasn't an easy decision, with Australia around the corner and the success this team is enjoying, but I feel the time is right. I don't see it as goodbye, I still have a lot of hunger to push South Africa to that World Cup in 2015 if I am fit and performing," Kallis said in a statement.
Kallis is currently fourth on the list of leading run-getters in Test cricket, behind Tendulkar (15921 runs in 200 Tests), Ricky Ponting (13378 runs in 168 Tests) and Rahul Dravid (13288 runs in 164 Tests).
He is the greatest all-rounder the game has seen, atleast in terms of statistics, leaving behind Sir Garfield Sobers (8032 runs, 235 wickets, 109 catches in 93 Tests) and Sir Ian Botham (5200 runs, 383 wickets, 120 catches in 102 Tests.)
"It's been an honour and a privilege to have been part of the South African Test team since making my debut 18 years ago. I have enjoyed every moment out in the middle but I just feel that the time is right to hang up my Test whites," Kallis said of his decision.
Following Kallis' retirement, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene will remain the only active players, who feature in the top-10 century scorers in the Test cricket.
Tendulkar leads the list with 51 centuries and is followed by Kallis (44), Ponting (41), Dravid (36), Sunil Gavaskar (34), Brian Lara (34), Sangakkara (33), Steve Waugh (32), Jayawardene (31) and Matthew Hayden (30).
Both Sangakkara and Jayawardene are already 36 years of age and their chances to surpass Tendulkar in the list look remote. Kallis was part of the Test team that became the world's number one ranked side in the format after defeating England away in 2012. However, he will have one regret, not winning an ODI World Cup with the Proteas.
They lost to Australia in the semi-finals in the 1999 World Cup in England as well as in the 2007 edition in the West Indies. The closest he has come to a major ODI trophy was when he played a stellar role in their victory at the ICC Knock-Out Trophy in Bangladesh in 1998, scoring 37 runs and taking 5-30 to beat West Indies in the final.
He had earlier scored an unbeaten 113 against Sri Lanka in the semi-final of that tournament, to propel his side into the summit clash.
Maturity and calmness of Kallis will be missed: SA Coach
Maturity and calmness of Kallis will be missed: SA Coach
Durban: South African coach Russell Domingo today said his team would "sorely" miss the "maturity" of Jacques Kallis in the dressing room and they have a challenge to manage the legendary all-rounder in a way that he could be in peak form before the 2015 ODI World Cup.
Kallis announced his retirement from Test and first-class cricket on the eve of the Boxing Day Test against India but expressed wish to play the 2015 World Cup for South Africa.
"The impact Jacques has made on South African cricket has been immense, not just as a player but as a human being. I'm not sure we will ever see another player of that stature very soon. Jacques' calmness, maturity and presence in the change room will sorely be missed and hopefully he will still be able to play a role in this team's success in the near future," Domingo said.
Going through a lean patch of late, Kallis has featured in 165 Tests for South Africa, scoring 13174 runs at an average of 55.12. He struck 44 centuries and also took 292 wickets. Domingo said it would be an important challenge for the team to selectively manage the 38-year-old cricketer, leading up to the 2015 ODI World Cup.
"He has ambitions of playing in the 2015 World Cup and it will be important for us to manage him accordingly so that he is in prime form leading into the tournament," he said.
Haroon Lorgat, Cricket South Africa's chief executive, was effusive in his praise for Kallis and said "it is fitting that his final Test should be on the same ground as the one on which he made his debut against England back in 1995."
"He has been a stalwart for many years and South Africa's recent triumphs and greatness have been built around him. He is a legend and his statistics speak volumes. Jacques has been ever present for the Proteas in the past 18 years," Lorgat added.
Kallis' teammates took to the twitter to pay glowing tributes to him. A number of Proteas players hit the right superlatives for one of the greatest all rounders of the game. "It's been emotional few days knowing JK retiring. All I can say what a privilege to have played with the great man!" wrote South African skipper Graeme Smith.
"Hopefully, we can give him the send off he deserves over the next 5 days!gonna miss him immensely @jacqueskallis75 love you and grateful," he posted. Opener Hashim Amla tweeted: "An amazing career from arguably South Africa's greatest sportsman. Lookin forward to one last game in whites with this legend."
South African middle-order batsman J P Duminy said it was an honour to share the dressing room with Kallis. "Been an honour to share a changeroom with 1 of the gr8's of the game. May we give u the send off u thoroughly deserve."
Off-spinner Johan Botha wished Kallis "all the best" for his last Test in whites. "All the best with your last Test @jacqueskallis75 !!Get "Slaz Door" going for 1 big score to finish!!Going to miss you in whites," he posted.
