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The legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis has been named by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting as the most naturally talented cricketer he has ever witnessed. Ponting disregarded other legendary figures like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and AB De Villiers, who are frequently considered the all-time greatest players, and chose Jacques Kallis as the most naturally gifted cricketer.
Not just his batting prowess, Ponting also lauded Kallis' all-round skills. The batting legend emphasised Kallis's remarkable achievements with both bat and ball, showcasing his impact on the game. He highlighted Kallis's impressive record, which includes 45 Test centuries and over 300 wickets, along with notable catching statistics. Despite these accolades, Ponting expressed disappointment that Kallis is often considered one of the most underrated players in the history of cricket. He reaffirmed that Kallis deserves recognition as one of the all-time greats in the sport.
“I’ll say Jacques Kallis is the most talented player that I’ve ever seen because of his all-round game. I’m not just talking about a talented batsman; I’m talking about a talented cricketer. Jacques Kallis made 44, 45 Test hundreds, probably 300 wickets, maybe more than that, and he’d have an unbelievable catching record as well in Test cricket," Ponting was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.
"So I think he’s one of the most underrated players ever that’s played the game. I mean, I know he’s rated; obviously, he should be, but not many people talk about him as being one of the all-time greats, and in my eyes, he certainly is,” he added.
Kallis has a illustrious cricketing career. In his impressive 19-year-long international career, the former South African all-rounder participated in 166 Test matches, 328 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 25 T20 Internationals for his country. Kallis accumulated an impressive total of 13,289 runs in Tests, 11,579 runs in ODIs, and 666 runs in T20Is while representing South Africa at the highest level. As a bowler, he was equally formidable, taking 292 wickets in Tests, 273 in ODIs, and 12 in T20Is. In addition to his batting and bowling prowess, Kallis was an exceptional fielder, amassing 200 catches in Test matches and 131 in ODIs. These accomplishments further solidify his reputation as one of the most outstanding all-rounders the game has ever seen.
Meanwhile, Ponting named the former West Indies captain Brian Lara as the most naturally gifted batter he has ever witnessed.
"The most naturally talented batsman, I'd say, would be Brian Lara," he added.
Lara concluded his international career with an impressive total of 11,953 runs in Test cricket, which made him the highest run scorer in the format at the time. He also holds the record for the highest individual score in Test history, having scored 400 runs in a single innings.
