Jacques Kallis joins South Africa coaching staff

JOHANNESBURG: Jacques Kallis was on Wednesday named as South Africa’s batting consultant as the host nation continued to strengthen their coaching staff ahead of the first Test against England, starting at Centurion on December 26.

Kallis, 44, is South Africa’s most-capped Test player. He played in 165 Tests for South Africa as well as one for a World XI. Cricket South Africa said in a statement that Kallis would join the national squad for their pre-Test camp starting in Pretoria today. He will remain part of the team set-up for the rest of the South African season.

CSA later confirmed that Charl Langeveldt had been appointed as bowling consultant for the season. Kallis, who retired from international cricket in 2013, is third on the all-time Test run-scorers list with 13 289 runs at an average of 55.37.

He joins a coaching staff headed by newly-appointed head coach Mark Boucher, South Africa’s second most-capped Test player, who played 146 times for the country as well as once for a World XI.

It was reported from Bangladesh earlier that Langeveldt, who previously was South African bowling coach between 2015 and 2017, had been released from his contract with Bangladesh in order to take up the position with South Africa.

This was confirmed by CSA acting chief executive Jacques Faul, who thanked the Bangladesh Cricket Board for their understanding in releasing Langeveldt, who played in six Tests and 72 One-day Internationals for South Africa.