Jacques Kallis: The Greatest All-rounder Ever

Test Cricket will become poorer when the finest player that South Africa has ever produced, Jacques Kallis will retire after the 2nd Test against the Indians. So in two month, two behemoths of world cricket have decided to hang their boots, the other being obviously the greatest player to have ever graced the game, Sachin Tendulkar.

Now as people debate whether Sachin was the greatest batsman to have graced Cricket, similar debates crop up when people talk about Jacques Kallis, the all-rounder. But just as the detractors of Sachin fail to give any plausible explanation why he is not the greatest similarly, we need to just take a look at his phenomenal statistic and everything becomes crystal clear.

With over 25,000 runs, 61 centuries, 577 wickets and 235 catches in international cricket, there is nothing this man cannot do on a cricket field. Going by the numbers, he’s achieved more than Garfield Sobers who, according to many, is the greatest all-rounder to have played the game. So is he better than Garfield Sobers? I would definitely think so and everybody who has played with and against him would agree with me.

Kallis is a classical player in the truest sense, and provides a reassurance with both bat and ball. Very few cricketers possess the aura that he does. Strong, burly, over-powering and all-encompassing, Kallis cuts a figure of reliability. He is the last of an era of great batsmen featuring the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara. If he is one of the greatest batsmen then he is no novice with the ball either. Whenever his team requires a breakthrough, he is the go-to man for his captain and he has seldom disappointed. His bowling stats prove his effectiveness.

His statistics are second to none, he is among the best of the best and yet as he enters final phase of his career, Kallis remains one of most unsung. Tendulkar is the God of Cricket. Imran Khan has a cult status in Pakistan. Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath are adored in Australia. Viv Richards is known as ‘King Viv’ and Brian Lara is hailed as the ‘Prince of Trinidad’. But what about Kallis? The 38-year-old Kallis has not got the recognition he deserves. He does not have any sobriquets. He does not get multi-million dollar advertisement deals. Ever since he made his debut in 1995, Jacques has set the benchmark of averaging above 50 and getting wickets at the most crucial times.

One cannot help avoid the feeling that if Kallis had played rugby instead of cricket then he would have achieved God-like status already. So now the great man’s focus will be solely on the 2015 World Cup and on winning over the rugby-mad nation. He might have achieved many accolades but winning the World Cup would be the crowning jewel just like it was for Sachin Tendulkar. And he deserves that.