Jacques Kallis announced his retirement on 30th July 2014 from all forms of international cricket.
But, he will still continue playing cricket for Kolkata Knightriders in the Indian Premier League and Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.
Kallis had earlier retired from Tests in December 2013 after a home series against India.
Kallis has represented South Africa in 166 test matches, scoring 13,289 runs that includes 45 centuries and 58 half centuries with an average of 55.37. He was the first South African to score over 10,000 runs in test cricket.
However he continued to play ODIs and T20 cricket. Kallis was keen to play in the Cricket World Cup in 2015, but with his recent form and a poor series against Sri Lanka where he scored just 1, 0 and 4 in 3 innings, he felt that it was over for him. Kallis ends his ODI career with 11,579 runs in 328 matches, 17 centuries and 86 half centuries at an average of 44.36.
Kallis played 25 T20s scoring 666 runs with 5 fifties.
Kallis explained his retirement by saying , “I realized in Sri Lanka that my dream of playing in the next World Cup was a bridge too far, I just knew on that tour that I was done. The squad that was in Sri Lanka is an amazing one and I believe they have a good chance of bringing the trophy home in March.”
“I would like to thank Cricket South Africa, the team, the team sponsors, my sponsors, the fans and all the people who have been involved in my career. It has been an amazing journey.”
“I am not retiring from all cricket as I have a two-year contract with Sydney Thunder and, if possible, to help the Kolkata Knight Riders defend the IPL title we won earlier this year.”
by Archit Athani
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