Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer

Cape Town – Jacques Kallis has blasted his way back into South Africa’s major Twenty20 international plans.

He was named on Monday among the 15-strong Proteas squad for the second ICC World Twenty20 tournament in England next month.

It will be the veteran all-rounder’s first taste of the global T20 jamboree, after he was a controversial omission – and not best pleased about it personally – from the South African squad which played in the augural event on our soil in September 2007.

On that occasion, the then-president of Cricket South Africa, Norman Arendse, intervened in selection and Kallis found himself sidelined amidst a welter of fiery debate.

It is true that the T20 format has hardly been Kallis’s most productive, but he is a determined fellow and contributed strongly to his call-up by Mike Procter’s selection panel through his batting exploits for the resurgent Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League.

The Challengers have picked themselves up off the floor and moved into the top four on the IPL table on Sunday with a third successive victory, this time over the Mumbai Indians at the Wanderers.

Kallis has generally been disappointing with the ball in the IPL, although he went for fewer than six runs to the over in a full four-over spell at the Bullring – a bit like bowling a full stint for well fewer than three runs to the over in the 50-over arena – and then scored an unbeaten 69 off 59 balls as Mumbai were humbled by nine wickets.

Although his batting reputation is based more on legendary obduracy at the crease, Kallis appears to have consciously upped his strike-rate and overall willingness to attack in all forms of the international game this summer, and presently sports 220 runs in the IPL at 36.66, making him the fourth-highest run-scorer at the event and the top South African now that Herschelle Gibbs (191) has experienced a minor dip for the faltering Deccan Chargers.

His strike rate is decent at 118, and on Sunday he reminded once again that he is one of the fiercest cover-drivers in the game – with sixes in that region comfortably within his repertoire – and also extremely adept at playing “inside out” against the slower bowlers.

Kallis was severe on the nippy, highly unconventional speedster Lasith Malinga, once driving him over the covers for six and then blazing him flamboyantly high behind square leg for another maximum.

For the rest there are few surprises in the SA squad, although it is significantly changed from the one which failed to reach the ICC World Twenty20 semi-finals on the previous occasion.

Out of the picture now, for various reasons, are Gulam Bodi, Justin Kemp, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Vernon Philander, Shaun Pollock, Thandi Tshabalala, Johann van der Wath and Loots Bosman.

The present squad, in overall composition, looks infinitely more capable of a strong showing at the tournament, with a great blend of youth and experience.

Especially pleasing is the vast spin cupboard comprising Johan Botha (assuming his action is considered acceptable again shortly), Roelof van der Merwe, Robin Peterson and possible aid from JP Duminy and Justin Ontong.

SA squad (training camp at end of May): Graeme Smith (captain), Johan Botha (vice-captain), Yusuf Abdulla, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Justin Ontong, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Roelof van der Merwe.