#1 Jacques Kallis
Arguably the greatest all-rounder cricket has ever seen, Jacques Kallis is the only cricketer to have scored more than 10000 runs and have taken more than 250 wickets in both Tests and ODIs. Known for his orthodox batting technique and solid defence, Kallis had every shot in the book at his disposal and executed them perfectly.
An equally efficient bowler, Kallis was a complete all-rounder. However, despite his talents, the only silverware Kallis could win with South Africa was the 1998 Champions Trophy in which he was adjudged Player of the Tournament. Having made his debut in 1995, Kallis represented South Africa in a total of five 50-over World Cups and three Twenty20 World Cups in an international career that lasted nearly two decades.Kallis is South Africa’s leading run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs. In 166 Tests, Kallis scored 13289 runs at an impressive average of 55.37 and a strike rate of 45.97, hitting 58 half-centuries and 45 centuries, with his highest Test score being 224 against Sri Lanka at Cape Town in 2012. He took 292 wickets with the ball at an average of 32.65 and an economy rate of 2.82 with his best bowling figures being 54/6 against England at Leeds in 2003.
In 303 ODIs, Kallis scored 11579 runs at an average of 44.36 and a strike rate of 72.89, hitting 86 half-centuries and 17 centuries with his highest ODI score being 139 against West Indies at Johannesburg in 2004. He took 273 wickets with the ball at an average of 31.79 and an economy rate of 4.84 with his best bowling figures being 30/5 against the West Indies in the 1998 Champions Trophy Final at Dhaka.
In T20Is, Kallis scored 666 runs at an average of 35.05 and a strike rate of 119.35 with his highest score being 73 against India at the 2010 ICC World T20. He took 12 wickets with the ball at an average of 27.75 and an economy rate of 7.23 with his best bowling figures being 15/4 against Zimbabwe at Hambantota during the 2012 ICC World T20.
He retired from international cricket in 2014. Jacques Kallis’ numbers are enough to tell that not only is he the greatest all-rounder from South Africa but perhaps even South Africa’s greatest cricketer ever.
