Kallis goes past Dravid, becomes 3rd highest Test run-getter

Durban: South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis today surpassed Rahul Dravid as the third highest run-getter in Test cricket after a 115-run knock against India in his farewell match here today.

Kallis, who would be retiring from Tests at the end of the ongoing second and final game against India, now has 13,289 runs in the longest format.

That tally is one run more than Dravid, who retired last year after playing 164 Tests. Kallis, who is playing in his 166th Test, is now third behind Sachin Tendulkar (15,921) and Ricky Ponting (13,378) in the all-time list.

The South African, considered the best all-rounder in modern cricket, struck a fluent 115-run knock today, which came off 316 balls and included nine fours, in his final Test.

"Hail King Kallis!Even his worst critic wudn't begrudge JK farewell ton-truly fantastic feat V normally relate 2 dreams!!" tweeted former Indian captain Bishan Singh Bedi, paying tribute to the 38-year-old.

"Handsome is that handsome does!Is thr any1 more handsome than Kallis in his final test?No 1 took so much workload as JK in last 3/4 decades!" he added.

Besides the mountain of runs he sits on, Kallis also has 292 wickets in Tests at an impressive average of 32.53, besides having 200 catches to his credit.

"100 for #Kallis in his last test. One of the greats," wrote New Zealand captain Ross Taylor.

"LEGEND ... #Kallis #GreatestEverAllrounder. #SAvInd," tweeted former England captain Michael Vaughan.

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Kallis strikes ton in farewell Test, leaves India battling

South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis waves his bat as he salutes the fans after he was dismissed for 115 runs on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.

Durban: Jacques Kallis made his swansong match a memorable one by hitting his 45th Test hundred as India faced a daunting task of batting out the entire fifth day to save the series-deciding second cricket Test against South Africa, here.

Kallis ensured that he left the Test arena in a blaze of glory with a fluent 115 as the home team posted a mammoth 500 in their first innings to take a sizeable 166-run lead.

India vs South Africa, 2nd Test: Match Updates

India lost both the openers Murali Vijay (6) and Shikhar Dhawan (19) before reaching 68 for two on yet another rain-marred day, still needing 98 runs to avoid the ignominy of an innings defeat.

Cheteshwar Pujara (32) and Virat Kohli (11) will resume India's battle tomorrow.

Pujara and Dhawan had batted with caution after paceman Vernon Philander had Vijay caught in the slips. But Faf du Plessis took a spectacular one-handed catch to send back Dhawan, who played uppishly in the mid-wicket region and failed to clear the fielder.

It was yet another waste of a watchful start by Dhawan, who ended this Test series with scores of 13,15, 29 and 19.

With one day left in the match, the visitors have to bat out the final day to share the honours in the two-match series. The first Test in Johannesburg had ended in a thrilling draw.

South Africa on the other hand need to take eight wickets on a tricky fifth day track at the Kingsmead to give Kallis a perfect gift in his farewell match.

Beginning at the overnight score of 299 for five, Kallis scored 115 off 316 balls with 13 boundaries while lower-order batsman Robin Peterson played a 61-run cameo before their innings folded for exactly 500.

Left-arm spinner Ravidra Jadeja was the pick of the bowler for India with six wickets for 138 runs while paceman Zaheer Khan took two wickets at the expense of 97 runs.

Hashim Amla leaves the field after the little finger on his right hand was struck whilst fielding on the fourth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, on Sunday. Cheteshwar Pujara takes evasive action against a bouncer on the fourth day of their cricket test match against South Africa at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.Shikhar Dhawan, left, rides the bounce to defend a short ball as South Africa's captain Graeme Smith, right, watches on the forth day of their cricket test match at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.Shikhar Dhawan, left, avoids a bouncer as South Africa's bowler Jacques Kallis, right, watches on the fourth day of their cricket test match at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.India's Murali Vijay leaves the field after being dismissed by South Africa's bowler Vernon Philander, for 6 runs on the fourth day of their cricket test match at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Francois du Plessis is run out by India's fielder Rohit Sharma, for 43 runs on the forth day of their cricket test match at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Robin Peterson plays a shot on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Robin Peterson, right, plays a shot as India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, left, watches on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Robin Peterson watches his shot on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis, second from left, walks up the stair to the players pavilion as teammates embrace him after being dismissed for 115 runs on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis, second from left, walks up the stair to the players pavilion as teammates embrace him after being dismissed for 115 runs on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on SundaySouth Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis waves his bat as he salutes the fans after he was dismissed for 115 runs on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis waves his bat as he salutes the fans after dismissed for 115 runs on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.India's bowler Ravindra Jadeja, left, celebrates as teammate Rohit Sharma, right, watches after dismissing South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis, for 115 runs on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.India's bowler Ravindra Jadeja, left, celebrates as teammate Rohit Sharma, right, watches after dismissing South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis, for 115 runs on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis celebrates his century on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis celebrates his century on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis, left, celebrates his century as India's bowler Ravindra Jadeja, right, watches on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis, left, celebrates his century on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis, left, celebrates his century with teammate Dale Steyn on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Dale Steyn plays a shot on the forth day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.South Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis, left, plays a side shot as India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, right, on the forth day of their cricket test match at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday.A cricket fan waves the national team's flag during the third day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013. - APIndia's bowler Ravindra Jadeja, center, appeals unsuccessfuly for LBW against South Africa's batsman Alviro Petersen, left, during second day of their cricket test match at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013. - APJacques Kallis, right, walks to the field as India's players form a guard of honor on second day of their cricket test match at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013. - APSouth Africa's batsman Abraham Benjamin de Villiers dives home safely after a run out attempt on the third day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013. - APSouth Africa's batsman Jacques Kallis, left, raises his bat whilst leaving the field with India's players after play had been cut short due to bad light on the third day of their cricket test match against India at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013. - APSouth Africa's bowler Dale Steyn celebrates after dismissing India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, for 24 runs during the second day of their cricket test match at Kingsmead stadium, Durban, South Africa, Friday, Dec. 27, 2013. - AP

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