As a batsman, Jacques Kallis was a true spectacle, especially when delivering his signature cover drive.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in cricket history, Kallis is arguably the best cricketer South Africa has ever produced. The former all-rounder played over 500 matches for the Proteas across Test, ODI, and T20 formats, showcasing exceptional skill with both bat and ball. Kallis had a “golden arm” as a bowler, consistently taking key wickets while maintaining an impressive economy rate.
Kallis made his first-class debut in the 1993/94 season at just 18 years old, representing Western Province B. His coaches quickly recognized his potential to become a world-class all-rounder. The following summer, Kallis played for Netherfield in Kendal, where he scored 791 runs at an extraordinary average of 98.87 from 14 matches.
He made his Test debut for South Africa in December 1995 against England in Durban at the age of 20. While he initially struggled with the bat, his breakthrough came in 1997 when he scored 61 against Pakistan. Just two matches later, Kallis played a match-saving innings, scoring a century to secure a draw for South Africa against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
From that point onward, Kallis established himself as South Africa’s greatest all-rounder, setting numerous records. He remains the only cricketer to have scored over 10,000 runs and taken more than 250 wickets in both Test and ODI cricket.
Jacques Kallis scored over 10,000 runs in both Test and ODI formats.
After retiring in 2014, Kallis transitioned into coaching. In 2015, he became the head coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL). In 2019, he briefly served as the Proteas’ batting consultant, but the following year, Kallis joined England’s coaching team.
In 2022, Kallis was appointed assistant coach for the Pretoria Capitals in the Betway SA20 League. Earlier in 2023, he was also selected to join the South African squad for the World Championship of Legends.
