Jacques Kallis: The latest South African star lost to the clutches of England

DANIEL GALLAN: England's batting consultant for the Sri Lanka Tests is the latest in a long line of figures to flee or evade The Proteas - a trend which shows few signs of stopping

When Keaton Jennings reverse-swept Jayant Yadav through the Wankhede boundary in December 2016, he became the fifth Englishman in 12 years to register a ton in his inaugural Test.

Andrew Strauss, Sir Alastair Cook, Matt Prior and Jonathan Trott would all kick on towards successful careers as part of an era that saw England become the world’s No.1 team. And though Jennings is stuck on 17 appearances, he does share something in common with three of the names above.

Like Strauss and Prior, Jennings was born in Johannesburg. Like Trott, who hails from Cape Town, Jennings’ accent still carries the same drawl bequeathed to most white South Africans. Proteas fans are asked to endure much heartache and administrative malady, but if there is one thing that rankles most it is the sight of a Saffa producing telling contributions for England.

Shortly after Jennings raised his bat in recognition of his milestone in Mumbai one supporter of South African cricket encapsulated the mood of many: "Yet another one slips through our system. Well played Keaton Jennings."

That tweet came from the fingertips of the great all-rounder Jacques Kallis. A man who contributed 25,534 runs, 577 wickets and 338 catches to his country over an international career spanning 19 years. He is a bonafide legend who transfers knowledge to younger cricketers simply by being in their orbit.

Yet another one slips through our system. Well played Keaton Jennings.🏏

— Jacques Kallis (@jacqueskallis75) December 8, 2016

In January last year, he was working as a batting consultant to Faf du Plessis, Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram alongside his old mate Mark Boucher. Now he’s wearing foreign colours, offering advice to Joe Root ahead of England’s series against Sri Lanka, helping Jonny Bairstow triangulate the coordinates of his off stump, sporting three very English Lions on his broad chest. 

It’s an obvious question, isn’t it? Does he feel like he slipped through the system at Cricket South Africa (CSA)?

"I wasn’t allowed to be involved with South Africa because Cricket South Africa said there would be no more white consultants," Kallis told a group of journalists over a video call. "So, unfortunately, that fell away and this opportunity of helping England came about and I took it with both hands.

"It’s the modern way of the world. It’s sad in a way that I can’t help out in South Africa but I’m thoroughly enjoying my time here and my time in the England set-up. I’m certainly going to give them as much of my knowledge and time as I can to move them forward."

That claim concerning CSA’s employment policy might sound like a baseless conspiracy theory dreamed up on some QAnon forum, but it’s very true. At least it was from August 31 when CSA’s board made this commitment until that decision was walked back on January 3. 

During this span, CSA hired Neil McKenzie as its high-performance batting lead and Dillon Preez du Preez as assistant coach of the women’s team. Though both are full-time appointments they are both white.

^{Kallis had joined the South Africa set-up in December 2019 - but his spell was short-lived}

More tellingly, this period coincided with a time of reckoning in South African cricket. In July, Lungisani Ngidi answered a question about the importance of black lives. Ever since, a country already fractured by racial disharmony and unchecked inequality turned cricket into a lightning rod for a polarising and ugly discourse. 

Players, who have long claimed to be more than just entertainers, were either muzzled by an organisation that disallowed dialogue on the matter or proved ill-equipped to carry this heavy load. The act of kneeling became a hot button issue. As the chasm that separated opinions on the subject grew, the possibility of pleasing everyone evaporated.

It is against this backdrop that Kallis serves a different master. A man who once defined his nation’s cricket team is actively aiding another.

He’s not the first South African to do so. Gary Kirsten donned the Protea in 186 matches and later steered India to World Cup glory as a coach in 2011, but even the most ardent fan of the gutsy lefty couldn’t claim he ever had the standing of Kallis.

Imagine Wasim Akram coaching India’s bowlers. Or Ricky Ponting fine-tuning South Africa’s middle order. Can you envisage Jimmy Anderson one day working with New Zealand’s emerging seamers?

Welcome to the wacky world of South African cricket governance

"I suppose in the beginning it was a little bit strange because England were the arch-enemy when we played them,” Kallis admitted. "I suppose in the world we’re living now guys go and coach other teams and in the T20s around the world, guys go and play with other teams. So it’s kind of the norm in the modern world and I really have thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a good bunch of boys with a lot of youngsters who have bright futures ahead of them so it’s nice I can perhaps help them achieve the goals and dreams they want to achieve."

There are those back in South Africa who are happy to see Kallis go. When he was brought in to help the Proteas there was a growing consensus that the game was returning to a dark past when it was the domain of a white minority. 

Boucher had recently been made head coach and Graeme Smith and Jacques Faul were serving as CSA’s director of cricket and acting chairman. Paul Harris was also in the mix as a spin bowling consultant. The cabal, as some saw it, were getting the band back together at the expense of transformation.

On August 1, Smith said: "If you're asking me whether Jacques Kallis was one of the best batting coaches and batting cricketers we've ever had, I'd tell you yes. Do I feel he has a role to play in South African cricket? Jeez, it would be stupid of us not to involve our most successful cricketer, and the batting experiences he could bring to our young batters."

There is no questioning the man’s credentials. But it is right to wonder if he has the social understanding required to work in South African sport. Athletic nous must be complemented by a willingness to engage with a tumultuous history and the repercussions that are still felt today.

^{Only four players have more international runs across the formats than the 45-year-old}

Perhaps Kallis is equipped in this regard. His foundation sponsors children from disadvantaged backgrounds and provides funding for their education at elite schools. He is almost certainly not a racist, no matter what some tweeps might suggest.

There was one moment however in his press conference that stood out. It was the exacerbated sigh that escaped him as spoke on CSA’s racial policies. It was almost as if he felt he was the victim of an unjust crime and not the collateral damage of the crucial, yet difficult, recalibration needed in our society. 

This is common among many white South Africans who claim that 27 years of democracy can erase history. For that reason, maybe Kallis is right where he belongs.

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