Jacques Kallis appointed England's batting consultant for SL Test tour
Former all-rounder Jacques Kallis has been appointed as England's latest batting consultant for the upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka. However, it is yet to be ascertained if his appointment will extend beyond the Sri Lanka tour. One of the greatest all-rounders, Kallis, worked in a similar capacity with South Africa in 2019 during the Test series against England. Here is more.
It is understood that Kallis has been in detailed talks with the ECB as the board aims to fill coaching vacancies for their batting and bowling roles. Other support staff members accompanying the England side comprise Jon Lewis (fast bowling), Jeetan Patel (spin) and James Foster (wicket-keeping). Meanwhile, Graham Thorpe, assistant to head coach Chris Silverwood, has been rested for the winter leg.
Interestingly, the cricket board has decided to float a rotation policy for players and support staff to minimize the stress of being confined in bio-secure bubbles during the impending tours. Earlier this year, Jonathan Trott was named England's batting consultant for Pakistan Tests.
South African legend, Kallis, is deemed the greatest all-rounder in international cricket. A veteran of 519 internationals, Kallis owns a total of 25,534 runs and 577 wickets. He remains the only player to have scored at least 10,000 runs and take 250 wickets in both Test and ODI cricket. Kallis has also slammed a records 62 tons across formats.
In 2015, Kallis was appointed as the head coach of IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. He also operated as KKR's batting consultant during the season. Last year, the South African national team hired Kallis for a similar role, before Neil McKenzie replaced him.
England are scheduled to leave for Sri Lanka on January 2. The two Tests are slated on January 14-18 and 22-26 at the Galle International Cricket Stadium. However, concerns regarding the feasibility of tour have snowballed as a new strain of coronavirus has surfaced in the UK. As a result, a number of countries have sealed their borders with the country.
