Kallis enjoys Garry Sobers-like admiration in South Africa

Taking into account his composure temperament flawless technique and neverending appetite for runs it is hard to understand why Jacques Kallis took 242 innings to get his maiden doublecentury in Test cricket On Saturday the euphoric scenes at Super Sport Park when he finally crossed the milestone were to savour Jacques Kallis raises his bat after scoring 200 on Day Three of the first Test against India in Centurion on Saturday PICAFPOn Super Fans Day the crowd rose to its feet in admiration of a man who is now being billed as one of the nations finestever sharing space with Mike Procter Graeme Pollock and Barry Richards Even the Indian contingent both in the press box and in the stands saluted the talismanic allrounder It was mutual admiration for one of crickets nicest blokes Even Kallis a man who rarely shows emotions was a bundle of joyu00a0 Former England allrounder Robin Jackman rates Kallis as South Africas greatest cricketer since readmission I have followed South African cricket for almost five decades and I can vouch that Kallis is the greatest South African cricketer since the nations readmission in 1992 Sure there have been the likes of Allan Donald Hansie Cronje Shaun Pollock and Graeme Smith but Kallis is right up there ufffd he is the greatest He didnt have to score a doublecentury to prove his greatness though He is right up there with the Procters and Pollocks Kallis is a living legend Jackman addedu00a0 Kallis who has 11449 runs and 267 wickets in a career spanning 142 Tests is the sports greatest allrounder since Sir Garfield Sobers Jackman reckoned I have seen Sobers I have played against Sobers And I can assure you that Kallis is the only cricketer who has come close to the great Garfield Nobody in the last five decades has come closer He could have taken a lot more wickets had he played for a side with a weaker bowling attack Theres nothing he cannot do on a cricket field bat for hours together with the most correct technique bowl at almost 90mph and take splendid catches in the slipsFew years back critics started to write him off he came back strongly even in Twenty20 He shares his place among the greatest of greatest that this country has had to offer And trust me I have seen some fantastic South African cricketers who never played at the international level during the exile period Kallis is right up there not just as a cricketer on the park but also as a human being Jackman said