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Cape Town - Hashim Amla is set to become the eighth South African to play 100 Test matches when the Proteas take on Sri Lanka in the third Test in Johannesburg from Thursday.
Amla joins Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Graeme Smith, Shaun Pollock, AB de Villiers, Gary Kirsten and Makhaya Ntini in the '100 club'.
A lean run of form has seen Amla's Test average (49.45) dip below 50 for the first time in a long time, but he remains one of the best batsman the country has ever produced.
A chorus of tributes began pouring in for Amla via Cricket South Africa's YouTube channel at the start of the week, and one of those players lending his voice was former England batsman Kevin Pietersen.
Speaking out of Australia during South Africa's recent Test series Down Under, Pietersen praised Amla for his technique and mental prowess.
"I think that what makes Hash such a special Test player is the fact that he is as resilient as he is and the way that he's found his own technique and style," said Pietersen.
"He didn't have the best start to his international career ... yet he's come out flourishing and he's scored so many runs for South Africa.
"What he's done in that South African batting order is he's calmed the nerves of the side."
Amla is also fourth on the all-time list of South African run scorers in Test cricket, behind De Villiers, Smith and Kallis.
