Kallis finally calls it a day
FORMER South Africa captain Graeme Smith yesterday described Jacques Kallis as “a really stubborn man”, but praised his honesty in realising he had come to the end of his career and in announcing his retirement from all international cricket.
The 38-year-old Kallis, statistically the greatest all-round cricketer the game has seen, retired from Test cricket in December but continued playing one-day internationals for South Africa, with an eye on having one more crack at the World Cup in February next year.
But a poor tour of Sri Lanka, where Kallis scored just five runs in three innings and did not bowl because of niggling injuries, has convinced him to end his international career.
Smith, who retired at the end of the summer, has been close to Kallis for more than a decade, and only 11 of his 117 Tests were played without his friend beside him at slip.
“Jacques is a really stubborn man, but I think that stubbornness must have run out,” he said.
“But one can only appreciate his honesty because he really wanted to win the World Cup. But he knew he would struggle to maintain the level required, especially in terms of bowling and mentally, and he didn’t want to let the side down.
“He’s also given the team enough space tactically to fill his gap with other guys.”
A relaxed-looking Smith, fresh off a family holiday, added that retirement would take some getting used to for Kallis, who has spent the past 19 years excelling on cricket fields all over the world.
“I’ve just been through it and it’s a bit daunting, really,” Smith said.
“You’re no longer earning a salary – my electricity got cut off – and you’ve just known one way of living for the last 19 years. Until the next stage of his life falls into place, he deserves the time and space to find his feet.”
Kallis is South Africa’s leading run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs. In 166 Tests he scored 13 289 runs (the third most in history) at an average of 55.37, and took 292 wickets. He also took 200 catches.
No other player has scored more than 10 000 runs and taken more than 200 wickets.
In 328 ODIs, he made 11 579 runs at an average of 44.36, and took 273 wickets.
“It’s always difficult to compare players from different eras, but if you consider the amount of cricket that Jacques played, the length of consistency at the top of the game and all the different conditions and challenges he performed in, then he’s got to be up there with the best who’ve ever played the game. In time, I’m sure his reputation will only go from strength to strength,” Smith said.
Kallis remains committed to playing T20 cricket for the Sydney Thunder and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Cricket South Africa chief executive Haroon Lorgat said Kallis had decided to retire after returning from Sri Lanka and spending the past two weeks mulling his future.
“It dawned upon him in Sri Lanka that his mind and body might no longer be fit enough to get him to the World Cup, and he said he had some thinking to do, so he prepared us for his retirement,” Lorgat said.
“In my book he is one of the best cricketers ever, and he has left as a legend. He was the consummate professional, and naturally we’re going to miss him because I don’t see any other three-in-one cricketers of his calibre.”