Jacques Kallis

Perhaps the greatest all-rounder of all time and certainly the best in recent times, Jacques Kallis' stats in all forms of the game makes for jaw-dropping stuff. The only man to have scored over 10000 runs and taken over 250 wickets in both forms of the game, Kallis is a modern day colossus. Add a couple of hundred catches in both forms of the game and what you get is an invaluable and an irreplaceable asset.

Kallis made his test debut in 1995 against England and in only his seventh test, he produced a match-saving hundred against Australia at the MCG, where he thwarted off the likes of Warne and McGrath to prove his class. With that knock, Kallis fulfilled his promise and has been the rock that holds the South African middle-order together for nearly 15 years.

Technically sound and strong off either foot, Kallis is adept at playing both the seamers and the spinners. Once in, he is one of the most difficult batsman to dislodge in World Cricket and has often buried the opposition into dust with his stoic approach at the crease. Though his primary emphasis is on defence, he is always on the lookout for runs and is severe on anything loose. He can play practically every shot in the book, though his cover drives are his best.

His critics have often pointed out that Kallis' is a selfish batsman and that he puts his interests above the team's. But Kallis' record in both forms of the game and his efforts in shoring up a weak South African middle-order in the early millennium have comprehensively dispelled those notions.

A wonderful safe pair of hands wherever he fields, Kallis is seen fielding at slips and has taken some outstanding catches. With the ball in his hand, he was pretty quick during the early phase of his career when his swing bowling was well utilised by Cronje. But he gradually reduced his bowling work-load due to a sore back and of late only bowls when required. He is considered to be a partnership breaker and often the ball has been thrown to him to produce that vital breakthrough.

Jacques Kallis played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first three seasons and was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders during the latest auctions. Having maintained impeccable fitness right throughout his career, Kallis at 35, looks set to continue for a couple of years more and is all set to break whatever records that are within his reach. With a burning desire to be a part of a World Cup winning South African side, Kallis requested the team management to allow him to skip the shorter format of the game, with a view to maintain himself ahead of the 2015 WC in Australia and New Zealand. As such, Kallis did not feature in an ODI match from February, 2012 to November 2013.

Having already achieved greatness, Kallis would love to go out of the game on a high, and with a World Cup medal around his neck.

On December 25th, 2013, he announced his retirement from Test cricket at the end of the Boxing Day Test against India.

Having realised that his dream of playing in the 2015 was a 'bridge too far', he quit all forms of international cricket after an unproductive ODI series against Sri Lanka in July 2014. However, he will continue to play for Sydney Thunder in the BBL, and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

Interesting facts: He has been described by Kevin Pietersen and Daryll Cullinan as the greatest cricketer to play the game.

Kallis is one of only four players in Test history (after Sir Donald Bradman and before Mohammad Yousuf, Gautam Gambhir) to make a century in five consecutive matches, achieved in season 2003/04.

The Jacques Kallis Scholarship Foundation was established in Kallis' benefit year with the aim of combining the academic and life skills programmes of existing school structures with funding and mentoring support from Jacques Kallis. Currently, the Jacques Kallis Scholarship Foundation sponsors 2 boys from Pretoria Boys High School, 2 from Maritzburg College and 2 from Selborne College. Jacques Kallis partakes in annual fundraising events for his Foundation, to which he invites fellow South African celebrities and cricketers like Mark Boucher and Andre Nel.

Shamone Jardim is Jacques Kallis' girlfriend and is a Star model from Cape Town and the two have been dating for four long years now. She qualifies as one of the hottest WAGs in international cricket.

By Srivathsa