Nearly 20 years after retiring from international cricket, Shaun Pollock remains one of the most celebrated sports figures in South Africa.
At 51, the former Proteas all-rounder exemplifies the term “line and length.” He was the first South African to reach 400 Test wickets and held the record for the most Test wickets for the Proteas until it was surpassed by Dale Steyn.
Shaun Pollock retired as the highest Proteas wicket-taker
Pollock comes from a cricketing family; his father, Peter, led the South African bowling attack through the 1960s, while his uncle Graeme was one of the finest left-handed batsmen to play the game. Shaun Pollock made his Test debut for South Africa in November 1995, and just two months later, he was called up to the One Day International (ODI) squad. In the late 1990s, he formed a formidable bowling partnership with another Proteas legend, Allan Donald.
Pollock took over from Hansie Cronje as captain
In the 2000s, Pollock was appointed captain of the Proteas after Hansie Cronje was banned from cricket for life due to a match-fixing scandal. Pollock’s captaincy lasted just three years. He faced criticism for South Africa’s disastrous performance in the World Cup, where the team failed to qualify for the Super Sixes. His misinterpretation of the Duckworth-Lewis method was seen as a key reason for the Proteas’ exit from the tournament on home soil.
He was eventually replaced by a young Graeme Smith, who became one of the greatest Test captains in the game’s history. Pollock continued to play for the Proteas until January 11, 2008, when he announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket.
What is Shaun Pollock doing today?
Since his retirement, Pollock has worked as a pundit on SuperSport. He also served as a media representative to the ICC (International Cricket Council) committee in 2018.
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