South Africa has seen the most turbulent time as a Test Cricket Nation. They have had 2 eras which are Pre Apartheid and Post Apartheid from 1992. South Africa has seen some incredible players play for them. They recently won the ICC World Test Championship which was their first major ICC trophy. Unlike West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, South Africa is consistently seeing an influx of great talents in Test Cricket.
Let’s look at the All Time South Africa Test Cricket XI
Opening Batters
Graeme Smith (C)
The first batter in this team and the man who will lead this team is Graeme Smith. He is the most successful captain in the history of Test Cricket. He has played 117 Test Matches for South Africa. He has scored 9266 runs at an average of 48.26. Graeme Smith has made 27 hundreds and 5 double hundreds in Test Cricket. He has a highest score of 277 in Test Cricket. Graeme Smith has become a successful administrator after his retirement.
Barry Richards
This is one of those rare selections where the quantity of Test Matches played is not being taken into consideration but the sheer talent of the man has taken precedence. Barry Richards has only played 4 Test Matches in his career but in those 4 Matches he showed the talent he was and if not for Apartheid he would have been an all time great. He made 508 runs at an average of 72.57. He had hit 2 centuries in Test Cricket. Barry Richards deserves a place in this team.
Middle Order
Jacques Kallis
Perhaps the greatest ever all round cricketer to ever play the sport of cricket. Jacques Kallis is a man who has more than 11500 runs in both Test Cricket and ODIs and he has taken more than 270 Wickets in both formats. In Test Cricket, he has played 166 Test Matches for South Africa. He has scored 13289 runs at an average of 55.37. He has hit 45 hundreds and has a highest score of 224. He has also taken 292 Wickets at an average of 32.65 with 5 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. Read here Best Performances by Jacques Kallis in Test Cricket
AB De Villiers
The most destructive batter In world cricket over the past 15 years and a man who could bat 200 balls for a draw AB De Villiers is at number 4 in this team. He has played 114 Test Matches for South Africa. In those Matches he has made 8765 runs at an average of 50.66. AB De Villiers has a highest score of 278* in Test Cricket. He has recently retired and he is a perfect ambassador for his country on the world stage.
Graeme Pollock
He was a man who played his cricket before the Apartheid. He was a man who was one of the best of that era. He played 23 Test Matches for South Africa. He scored 2256 runs at an average of 60.97. He hit 7 hundreds in Test Cricket. He has also smashed 2 double hundreds and has a highest score of 274 in the format. He was in en route to getting more than 10,000 Test runs.
Mark Boucher (WK)
Mark Boucher is perhaps one of the Top 3 Greatest wicket Keepers of all time. He has been a perfect middle order batter and a great wicket Keeper. He played in 147 Test Matches for South Africa. He made 5515 runs at an average of 30.30. He has hit 5 hundreds in Test Cricket. He has taken 532 Catches as a Wicket keeper in Test Cricket. Mark Boucher also has 23 stumpings to his name. The greatest wicket Keeper that South Africa cricket has seen.
Lower Order and Bowlers
Dale Steyn
The best fast bowler of the last 15 years Dale Steyn will be the leader of the bowling attack for South Africa. He was the most respected fast bowler for the time he played cricket. He played in 93 Test Matches for South Africa. He has taken 439 Wickets at an average of 22.95. Dale Steyn has taken 26 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. He has also taken 10 wickets in a Test Match 5 times. Dale Steyn has best bowling figures of 7/51 in Test Cricket. This was one of the easiest selections in this team. Check here Best bowling Performances of Dale Steyn in Test Cricket
Shaun Pollock
The second fast bowler in this team is Shaun Pollock. He was a great fast bowler but he was also more than a handy batter. He has played 108 Test Matches for South Africa in his career. Shaun Pollock has made 3781 runs at an average of 32.32. He has hit 2 centuries in Test Cricket. Shaun Pollock has also taken 421 Wickets at an average of 23.12. He has taken 16 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. He is one of the rarest players to have scored over 3700 runs and taken more than 420 Wickets.
Makhaya Ntini
The bowler with the action that was one of the most popular when he played cricket. Makhaya Ntini is easily one of the best fast bowlers that South Africa Test Cricket has ever seen. He played 101 Test Matches in his career and he took 390 Wickets in those Matches. He has an average of 28.82 and he has taken 18 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. South Africa will have five lethal fast bowlers bowling and it will be incredible.
Allan Donald
Allan Donald was an easy selection as he was the fast bowler that struck fear in the opposition Batters. He was known as White lightning. He played 72 Test Matches for South Africa. He took 330 Wickets for South Africa at an average of 22.25. Allan Donald has taken 20 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. He will come in short spells and bowl fast. There is one more fast bowler left to be picked in this team and he will make this team almost unbeatable.
Kagiso Rabada
The only player in this team that is still active and playing cricket. It would have been a travesty if he was not in this team. He has taken the leadership role from Dale Steyn perfectly. He has so far played 71 Test Matches for South Africa. He has taken 336 Wickets and this count will cross 400 in the next few years. Kagiso Rabada Is a proper Test Match bowler.
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