by a Thinker, Sailor, Blogger, Irreverent Guy from Madras

Jaques Kallis joins 13,000 Test Runs club


South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis has become only the 4th batsman ever to score over 13,000 Test runs. Wow!

The 37-year-old surpassed the mark with a boundary in the 1st Test against New Zealand at Cape Town, today.

He is the 4th batsman after India's Sachin Tendulkar and Raul Dravid, and ex-Australia captain Ricky Ponting to have scored more than 13,000 runs in Test matches.

An interesting point is that Jaques Kallis, later out for 60, achieved the milestone having played the fewest Tests of those four players.  But Tendulkar, who tops the standings with 15,645 runs, scored 13,000 runs in fewer innings.

But let us talk of today.  Jaques Kallis, if he plays out this season - and there is no reason to believe he cannot play a couple of seasons more - may well become the 2nd highest scorer of Test runs.

Jaques Kallis is just 248 runs behind Rahul Dravid and 338 behind Ricky Ponting.  I hope he goes on for another season or two.  Though there is no way for him to catch up or surpass Sachin Tendulkar, his feat when (if) he manages to pass Ponting will remain for a long time to come.

Of the top 20 Test run scores today, there are only 3 active players apart from Kallis who have scored 10,000+ runs.  Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara are the others.

In fact of the top 20 Test run scorers, there is only one more active player - Virender Sehwag - at number 18.  For the next active player who is anywhere near, we have to reach as low as 34 and touch Kevin Pietersen.

Player Years Matches Inns Runs
Sachin Tendulkar (India)* 1989-2012 194 320 15645
Ricky Ponting (Aus) 1995-2012 168 287 13378
Rahul Dravid (ICC/India) 1996-2012 164 286 13288
Jaques Kallis (ICC/SA)* 1995-2013 159 269 13040
Brian Lara (ICC/WI) 1990-2006 131 232 11953
Allan Border (Aus) 1978-1994 156 265 11174
Steve Waugh (Aus) 1985-2004 168 260 10927
S Chanderpaul (WI)* 1994-2012 146 249 10696
M Jayawardene (SL)* 1997-2012 137 230 10674
Sunil Gavaskar (India) 1971-1987 125 214 10122
K Sangakkara (SL)* 2000-2012 115 196 10045
Graham Gooch (Eng) 1975-1995 118 215 8900
Javed Miandad (Pak) 1976-1993 124 189 8832
Inzamam-ul-Haq (ICC/Pak) 1992-2007 120 200 8830
VVS Laxman (India) 1996-2012 134 225 8781
Matthew Hayden (Aus) 1994-2009 103 184 8625
Graeme Smith (ICC/SA) 2002-2013 106 186 8570
V Sehwag (ICC/India)* 2001-2012 102 177 8559
Vivian Richards (WI) 1974-1991 121 182 8540
Alec Stewart (Eng) 1990-2003 133 235 8463

What is left unsaid is Jacques Kallis also has 282 Test wickets as a bowler - which makes him the greatest all rounder of all time.

Great day for Test Cricket. and a great Cricketer.

PS: Just go to Google image search and type “cartoon+” and add “sachin tendulkar”, “ricky ponting”, “rahul dravid” and ‘jacques kallis” for a one by one search.  Compare how many cartoons you get for each of the other vis-a-vis Kallis.
:-D

jacques_kallis

(image courtesy AP)

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