The Proteas have produced some of the greatest batsmen in world cricket.
Players like Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers have often topped the ICC batting rankings during their prime. The Proteas have consistently boasted a strong batting lineup across all formats for the past 30 years, even though they haven’t won many significant trophies.
Here are the top five greatest Proteas batsmen to have ever played the game:
AB de Villiers
At his peak, de Villiers was unplayable. Known as “Mr. 360,” he is considered one of the greatest Proteas cricketers in limited-overs formats. From 2011 to 2018, he was the most destructive batsman to watch, capable of hitting any ball, anywhere, against any bowler. Throughout his career, he broke several records.
Jacques Kallis
Kallis is arguably the most complete cricketer to have ever played the game. With 25,000 international runs, the former Proteas captain displayed tremendous grit on the field, making his wicket highly prized by opposing bowlers. In addition to his exceptional batting, Kallis was a specialist fast bowler who took nearly 600 international wickets, establishing himself as one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket history.
Hashim Amla
Known as the “Silent Warrior,” Amla scored over 18,000 runs for the Proteas in all three formats of the game. Renowned for his calm demeanor and class, he was a cornerstone of the South African team for over a decade, often scoring significant runs and saving his country in challenging situations. While some consider him underrated, Amla remains one of the top three batsmen produced by South Africa.
Proteas have had a golden generation of talented batters
Gary Kirsten
Gary Kirsten is regarded as one of the greatest openers the Proteas have ever seen. He earned a reputation as a reliable batsman in both Test and One Day Internationals. Although he could accelerate the tempo of an innings when needed, he was primarily known for his patience in waiting for bad deliveries during Test matches.
Graeme Smith
As a former Proteas captain, Smith excelled as an opener and is highly regarded as one of the greatest captains in world cricket. He scored nearly 10,000 runs in Test cricket with an impressive average of 48. Under his leadership, South Africa won 53 Test matches, the most by any captain in Test history.
Who are your top 5?
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