Jacques of all traits - Kallis the King

Jacques Kallis

It was Melbourne in 1997 against Australia; South Africa was playing for a draw. 22-year-old Kallis was en route to his maiden Test century. Kasprowicz tried to play a few mind games and hurled insults at the gritty batsman. After Kallis ducked for the third time, Kasprowicz unable to extract an aggressive reaction from him cried out: “Is this man f—ing deaf?”

17 years later, Kallis had the same attitude while scoring his last century in Test cricket. The legendary batsman always knew his job; the numbers mattered, and he got them. He is considered to be the greatest all-rounder of present day cricket. Often said to be at par with Sir Garfield Sobers, he is the only player to have scored more than 10000 runs and scalped more than 250 in Tests. In his final match, Kallis also achieved the feat of 200 catches in Test cricket, only behind Rahul Dravid.

Kallis was always a part of the crowd whose gritty and robust nature stood out and spoke for him. Kallis neither had the following of Sachin nor the charisma of Lara, but he was in the same league and in a way beyond them. He had the strength and courage to bat for hours and then come back to take his run up to the crease.

He was robust and that was about it. His defensive batting was called old school but he was determined to play that way. He heard you all right but he knew what he was doing. Ironically, for a batsman considered to be a grafter, he holds the record for the fastest Test half-century off 24 balls against Zimbabwe.

The press has often termed him as rude and selfish for his inability to have emotions on and off the pitch, but those who knew him better said he was the best person to have around. During the innings break on March 12, 2006 in Johannesburg, the South African was in stunned silence when Australia scored 434 in the an ODI. The players could not comprehend what had happened in the hours before the innings break and what will happen in the innings that will follow.

On seeing the poignant faces, Kallis tried to strengthen the team and claimed that Australia was “10 runs short” of the par score. Not many laughed then. However, they had the last laugh in one of the greatest chase ever.

Kallis did not have the perfect life. He lost his mother at the age of 9 and his father to cancer at the peak of his career. Henry Kallis was always around during his formative years as a player and a person. He made sure young Jack understood the nuances of the game and of life.

He would bowl to him in the nets till late in the night. He would nervously watch young Kallis from the stands as he took the opposition apart. Kallis has dedicated his cricketing career to his father and said he would have achieved this much if it was not for his father.

Kallis was not a prodigy. He played 40 Tests to get his first 150+. He waited for 15 years to get his first double century. Former Proteas spinner Pat Symcox called him as the greatest cricketer to have ever played the game. Former South African captain Shaun Pollock who has played alongside Kallis referred to him as the backbone of the team who many failed to notice but his country loved him. Michael Vaughan, former England captain, said Kallis was the most difficult opponent.

Kallis declared his retirement on Christmas last year. His farewell Test reflected his cricketing story, not much fanfare with only 7000 people to watch him play in a Test match for the last time. But he was well aware his time had come.

He was bowled LBW 7 times in last 8 Test matches and he knew there was no better time to go, and no better way than hitting a century in his last innings. He surpassed Rahul Dravid to become the third highest run-scorer in Test cricket in his final innings.

Having retired from Tests, he will continue to serve cricket in the limited forms. Aiming for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, Kallis will try to remove the infamous ‘Choker’ tag South Africa has and end his career on a high note. Good luck Jacques Henry Kallis, the jack of all cricketing traits, and a master of them all.