Published: Dec 25, 2013, 04:41 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 25, 2013, 04:50 PM (IST)
Dec 25, 2013
South African coach Russell Domingo said that the team will miss Jacques Kallis, who announced retirement from Test and First-Class cricket after second Test against India at Durban on Wednesday.
“The impact Jacques has made on South African cricket has been immense, not just as a player but as a human being. I’m not sure we will ever see another player of that stature very soon,” Domingo was quoted as saying by Cricket South Africa’s official website.
“Jacques calmness, maturity and presence in the change room will sorely be missed and hopefully he will still be able to play a role in this team’s success in the near future.”
“He has ambitions of playing in the 2015 World Cup and it will be important for us to manage him accordingly so that he is in prime form leading into the tournament.”
CSA President Chris Nenzani also paid his tribute to the all-rounder, also remembering Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting’s retirement.
“We are truly entering a new era with three of the icons of the game – Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar and now our own Jacques Kallis – departing the Test arena within a short space of time.”
“It is a time for reflection not only on Jacques’ enormous contribution to the game of cricket but also the legacy he leaves behind him. South Africans love their sporting heroes and Jacques is right up among the best; not only that but he has been there for the best part of two decades. At a time when we live in a fast-changing world and not always for the better he has remained true to the best traditions of the game and of sportsmanship and has always risen above any kind of controversy.”
“To me the greatest legacy he leaves us is the Jacques Kallis Foundation which offers underprivileged South Africans of all persuasions the priceless benefit of a quality education and the opportunity to live their dreams on the cricket fields. There are already a couple of youngsters from this programme who have gone on to represent SA Schools and SA under-19.”
“He has indeed been our knight in shining armour who has ridden to the rescue of our embattled troops on more occasions than I am sure he would wish to remember!”
“Happily, Jacques is not totally lost to the Proteas. Our ODI side is a comparatively young and inexperienced one and his contribution to our World Cup campaign will no doubt be as immense as it has been across all the formats up to now.
“Jacques, we thank you not just for what you have meant to South African cricket and indeed to the world of cricket but more particularly for the example you have set in being a model South African for our youth and future leaders.”
Read more here — Jacques Kallis retires from Test and First-Class cricket
