Kallis knocked off his perch

Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer

Cape Town – He has hogged the mantle for years, but at least for the time being Jacques Kallis is no longer the world’s ICC top-ranked all-rounder in Test cricket.

The veteran Proteas star has been toppled by Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan following completion this week of that nation’s two-Test home series – the perennial strugglers were beaten 2-0 – against Pakistan.

Shakib, 24, the left-handed batsman and left-arm spinner, has often fought a near-lone crusade for the minnows and in the final Test at Dhaka, struck 144 in his team’s first innings and then followed it up with similarly stellar figures six for 82 in the visitors’ own first knock.

His dual prominence shot him above Kallis to a rating, in terms of the ICC formula, of 404 – narrowly ahead of the 36-year-old Kallis on 397.

Kallis, in turn, remains a comfortable 12 ratings points clear of New Zealander Daniel Vettori (385) in third.

Slipping a notch is an extra incentive for the Proteas stalwart to shine over the remaining course of the series against Sri Lanka, resuming with the second Test in Durban from Boxing Day.

In grabbing the lead, Shakib also becomes the youngest all-rounder since Kallis himself in 2000 (aged 25 then) to top the category and the first Bangladeshi to head any of the three personal Test-level lists, also featuring best batsmen and best bowlers sections.

Of course he is not yet able to hold a candle to Kallis for overall figures and longevity of wonderful service: the South African boasts 12 036 Test runs at 56.77 and 271 wickets at 32.50.

Shakib, who has only played 26 Tests, has registered 1 630 runs at 34.68 and 96 wickets at 31.36.

*Kallis is also at No 2 on the Test batsmen list (rating 839) behind Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara (844), so that duel also adds some spice to the looming Kingsmead encounter.