Jacques Kallis is the only cricketer in history to score more than 10,000 runs and take 200 wickets in both Test and one-day international cricket. Rahul Dravid called him "the Garry Sobers of our generation," and the record behind that praise is hard to argue with.
For 19 years, Kallis was the backbone of the South African side, a top-order batter who could also open the bowling. Many South African cricket fans who have tried out South African Virgin Bet Online will know his name as one of the country's finest sporting figures.
In this article, we reflect on the career of a player whose all-round record stands comparison with anyone in the game's history.
A run-scorer for the ages
Kallis made his Test debut against England in 1995 and retired in 2013 with 13,289 runs at an average above 55, including 45 centuries. Only a handful of batters have ever scored more Test runs. Born in Cape Town in 1975, he made his name in an era of strong South African sides and spent more than 600 days as the top-ranked Test batter in the world. He marked his final Test against India with a century, a fitting way to bow out of the format he graced for so long.
The bowling that gets forgotten
Kallis is remembered first for his batting, which can overshadow the 292 Test wickets he took alongside it. He was a brisk seamer who could move the ball both ways, and he claimed five wickets in an innings on five occasions. In an ODI career that brought 11,579 runs, he also picked up 273 wickets, giving South Africa a balance few teams could match. His best Test figures of 6 for 54 showed he was far more than a part-time option with the ball.
The records that define him
Kallis is the only player to make 12,000 international runs and take 500 wickets. He is one of only a few non-wicketkeepers to take more than 200 catches in Tests, a reminder of how reliable he was in the slips. Across all formats, he scored 25,534 runs and took 577 wickets, figures that may never be matched by a single player again.
A quiet competitor
Kallis was never the most flamboyant cricketer, and he was sometimes criticised for being too careful. Yet his teams rarely lost when he was at the crease, and his calmness under pressure carried South Africa through countless tight contests. He later added a T20 title with Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League and moved into coaching after retiring. His 18-year international career spanned three decades, an unusually long run for a player asked to perform two roles.
Few cricketers have done so much with both bat and ball over such a long period. His value to South Africa went beyond the statistics, anchoring the order while more flamboyant players took the headlines. When the debate about the greatest all-rounder comes up, Kallis is always near the front of the queue.