Jacques Kallis' Batting Records for South Africa in Test Cricket

When South Africa’s Jacques Kallis finally decided to retire from Test cricket in December 2013 after 166 matches and 13,289 runs, the all-rounder left behind him a mountain of batting records that will be hard to surpass over the coming years.

And so in dedication to the 38-year-old Proteas legend, here are the remarkable records that Kallis left behind…

* All stats provided by ESPN Cricinfo

Ton-Up, Jacques

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LONDON - SEPTEMBER 7: Jacques Kallis of South Africa is hit by the ball as he hits out during the fourth day of the fifth npower test match between England and South Africa at The AMP Oval Cricket Ground on September 7, 2003 in London. (Photo by Clive Ma

In 2003-04, Kallis scored centuries in five consecutive Tests matches, a record bettered only by the great Don Bradman, with the Australian having managed the feat in six successive Tests.

It’s Supposed to Be Harder Second Time Round

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Kallis averages an incredible 56.26 in the second innings of Test matches, with only that man Bradman again holding a better record than the South African (a minimum requirement of 2,000 runs).

A Golden Run

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Thirteen years ago, Kallis made 456 runs without being dismissed, which is the fourth-highest aggregate ever in the history of Test cricket, with scores of 157*, 42*, 189* and then 68.

However, Sachin Tendulkar currently holds the record after the 497 runs that the Little Master managed in 2003-04 without losing his wicket.

Catch Me If You Can

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The all-rounder’s half-century against Zimbabwe at Newlands in 2005, which came from just 24 balls, is still the fastest-ever fifty recorded in Test cricket in terms of balls faced. 

Going out on a High

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Kallis’ 115 in his final-ever innings against India in Durban in December meant the veteran became just the fourth Proteas batsman to score a ton in his last-ever Test knock.

The Great Centurion

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Kallis managed to record a Test hundred for South Africa in every calendar year between 1997, when he made his debut ton, and 2013 when he finally called it quits.

Best Batsman of the Noughties

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Between January 1999 and December 2012, Kallis scored 11,961 runs in 136 Tests at an eye-catching average of 61.33, including 42 centuries and 51 fifties.

Based on a minimum requirement of 5,000 runs, no other batsman in the world during that time could boast either a better Test average or more hundreds than the South African.

Best batting averages between Jan 1999 and Dec 2012 (Min 5,000 runs)

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	Strike rate	100s/ 50s
Jacques Kallis	136	11,961	61.33	46.97	42/ 51
Kumar Sangakkara	115	10,045	55.80	53.84	30/ 41
Brian Lara	74	7,212	54.63	59.19	24/ 23
Inzamam-ul-Haq	69	5,670	54.51	55.49	19/ 25
Sachin Tendulkar	131	10,892	54.18	54.33	34/ 47
Ricky Ponting	146	12,169	54.08	60.10	39/ 55
Shivnarine Chanderpaul	113	8,643	54.01	43.45	25/ 44
Mohammad Yousuf	83	7,082	53.24	53.10	23/ 29
Matthew Hayden	96	8,364	52.93	60.85	29/ 29
Michael Clarke	88	6,910	52.74	55.98	22/ 24
Rahul Dravid	140	11,455	52.54	43.49	34/ 48

Thou Shall Not Be Moved

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In total, during his 166-Test career, Kallis faced 28,903 deliveries, during which time he was dismissed on 240 occasions, meaning the Proteas legend batted for an average of 120.43 balls per innings.

Now, given a minimum requirement of having scored at least 7,000 Test runs from 1995 onwards, that means Kallis has been the second-hardest batsman to dislodge after India’s Rahul Dravid during the course of the last 19 years.

Most balls faced per dismissal (Since 1995, at least 7000 balls faced)

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	Strike rate	Balls	Balls per dis
Rahul Dravid	164	13,288	52.31	42.51	31,258	123.06
Jacques Kallis	166	13,289	55.37	45.97	28,903	120.43
Shivnarine Chanderpaul	148	10,916	51.98	43.47	25,106	119.55
Mark Richardson	38	2,776	44.77	37.66	7,370	118.87
Hashan Tillakaratne	55	3,132	46.05	40.35	7,762	114.15
Steve Waugh	99	7,115	55.15	48.50	14,669	113.71
Andy Flower	53	4,209	51.96	45.75	9,199	113.57
Gary Kirsten	90	6,626	46.66	43.89	15,096	106.31

Four-Midable

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In total, Kallis batted on 280 occasions in Test cricket, 170 of which came in his favoured No. 4 position in the South African lineup, with the result being the production of a staggering 9,033 runs at 61.86.

And of those players who have scored a minimum of 4,000 Test runs, no other batsman in the history of the game can better the Proteas No. 4’s 60-plus average.

Highest averages at No. 4 (Min 4,000 runs)

Batsman	Innings	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Jacques Kallis	170	9,033	61.86	35/ 36
Greg Chappell	86	4,316	59.12	15/ 19
Sachin Tendulkar	275	13,492	54.40	44/ 58
Javed Miandad	140	6,925	54.10	19/ 31
Denis Compton	86	4,234	53.39	13/ 20
Inzamam-ul-Haq	98	4,867	52.90	15/ 21
Mahela Jayawardene	177	8,656	52.46	28/ 30
Brian Lara	148	7,535	51.25	24/ 31

No Place Like Home

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No other batsman in the history of Test cricket has scored more runs, at a better average, with more tons or half-centuries than Kallis managed in the 88 matches he played in South Africa.

Most Test runs in South Africa

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Jacques Kallis	88	7,035	56.73	23/ 34
Graeme Smith	58	3,914	43.48	10/ 19
Gary Kirsten	52	3,384	42.30	8/ 16
AB de Villiers	48	3,236	44.94	9/ 19
Herschelle Gibbs	47	3,055	41.28	9/ 10
Mark Boucher	75	3,001	33.71	4/ 20
Hashim Amla	39	2,761	45.26	9/ 16
Daryll Cullinan	36	2,363	44.58	7/ 11

Subcontinental Drift

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However, it was not just on home soil that Kallis reigned supreme, as no other non-Asian batsman has managed more than either his 2,058 runs or his eight centuries in Tests on the subcontinent.

Most Test runs in Asia, for a non-Asian batsman

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Jacques Kallis	25	2,058	55.62	8/ 8
Ricky Ponting	28	1,889	41.97	5/ 10
Shivnarine Chanderpaul	27	1,850	48.68	4/ 8
Alastair Cook	18	1,802	56.31	7/ 7
Allan Border	22	1,799	54.51	6/ 8
Graeme Smith	21	1,728	49.37	4/ 7
Matthew Hayden	19	1,663	50.39	4/ 8
Clive Lloyd	20	1,629	62.65	4/ 7

Star Man

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And last, but not least, no other player in the history of Test cricket has ever been handed more than Kallis’ 23 man-of-the-match awards during his 166 appearances for South Africa between 1995 and 2013.

Most MoM awards in Tests (at least 8 awards)

Player	Tests	MoM awards	Rate
Wasim Akram	104	17	6.12
Mitchell Johnson	55	8	6.88
Muttiah Muralitharan	133	19	7.00
Curtly Ambrose	98	14	7.00
Jacques Kallis	166	23	7.22
Kumar Sangakkara	117	15	7.80
Imran Khan	88	11	8.00
Malcolm Marshall	81	10	8.10
Aravinda de Silva	93	11	8.45
Ian Botham	102	12	8.50
Shane Warne	145	17	8.53

Tale of the Tape

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	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	166	280	40	13,289	224	55.37	28,903	45.97	45	58	14,88	97	200	0

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