Greatest South African ODI XI of all time

#4 Middle-order

Jacques Kallis provided solidity and resilience to South Africa's batting lineup

With his phlegmatic defence and meticulous attention to run-making, Jacques Kallis provides an impenetrable and automatic choice for the crucial number three slot. South Africa's all-time leading run-scorer amassed 11,579 runs from 328 ODIs at an average of 44.36 and strike-rate of 72.89. Aside from piling on 103 fifty-plus scores, he also contributed 273 wickets at an economy-rate of 4.84.

Unarguably, AB de Villiers is the best batsman to represent South Africa in the 50-over format. The dynamic right-hander has played 226 ODIs thus far and scored 9541 runs at an imposing average of 53.90 and scintillating strike-rate of 101.15. Each of 25 centuries have come at a strike-rate in excess of 100. 21 of those have come in winning cause. He also dons the wicket-keeping gloves in order to add depth to the playing eleven.

Coming in at the fall of the third wicket, a number five batsman has to be versatile in nature. There cannot be many better options than Faf du Plessis in such regard. Aside from keeping the scorecard ticking by rotating the strike with aplomb, he can also punish those wayward deliveries. The right-hander has played 117 ODIs until now and scored 4379 runs at an average of 44.68 and strike-rate of 88.30.

Considering the plethora of bowling options in the lineup, a specialist batsman can be slotted in at number six. With his rapid running between the wickets and keen understanding of the modern game, Jonty Rhodes was well ahead of his time. While the world remembers his trend-setting fielding skills, his numbers with the bat are quite reasonable too. Playing the vast majority of his 245 matches in the bowling-friendly 1990s, he scored 5935 runs at an average of 35.11 and strike-rate of 80.90 including 35 fifty-plus knocks.