South Africa is one of the only four teams to win the Test Mace alongside Australia, India, and England. Not just that, they managed to retain it for three years in a row from 2013 to 2015. Despite their fall in recent years, these stats prove their title as one of the leading test-playing nations in International Cricket. So, let’s look back at the history of this leading nation in Test Cricket and pluck some of the greatest cricketers from different eras to form the best all-time XI of South Africa in test cricket.
Best all-time XI of South Africa in Test Cricket:
#1 Graeme Smith(c):
No one has more experience at leading a team in whites than Graeme Smith in the entire world. Smith has played most matches(109) as Captain in Test Cricket. And not just that, he has also led his side to the most test victories(53). South Africa became only the 4th nation to win the Test mace under the leadership of Graeme Smith in 2012 and was able to retain the title in 2013. So, there cannot be anyone better to lead the all-time XI of South Africa in test cricket better than him.
Apart from being a great leader since he was 22, Smith was also one of the best openers in test cricket. Hashim Amla was probably the only other opener on par with him in the South African Test history. Graeme Smith has 9253 runs in 116 Tests at an average of 48.7 with 27 centuries and 38 half-centuries and still stands as South Africa’s third-highest run-scorer in test cricket. So, there is no better option than him to open the innings for the all-time XI of South Africa in Test cricket.
#2 Hashim Amla:
On par with Graeme Smith as an opener, Hashim Amla still is the second-highest run-getter for South Africa in tests. He has almost equal stats as Graeme Smith in tests leading him by a margin of only 29 runs.
Hashim Amla has scored 9282 runs in 124 tests with an average of 46.64 in Test cricket. He also hit 28 centuries and 41 half-centuries in his career. Amla was the backbone of the South African batting lineup from the late 2000s until his retirement in 2019. He is the only other top contender for the opening spot in this XI other than Graeme Smith.
#3 AB de Villiers:
Often called the Superman of the game, AB de Villiers is one of the greatest cricketers the world has ever seen. Many former cricketers and media have hailed him as the greatest all-format player of the game or an alien among humans in Cricket.
AB de Villiers may be known for his 360-degree shots and explosive batting, but he used to be a calm head and a responsible batter in Test cricket. AB is one of the only two South African cricketers to average more than 50 in test cricket after playing more than 100 tests. He is also the 4th highest run-getter for South Africa in tests. A genius like him cannot miss a spot on this all-time XI.
#4 Gary Kirsten:
Gary Kirsten used to be one of the best top-order batters for South Africa. He is one of the only eight players to represent South Africa in 100 tests. Kirsten stacked 7289 runs in 101 Tests at an average of 45. 27 and is still the 5th highest scorer for South Africa in tests.
Gary Kirsten was one of the established top-order batters for South Africa in his career. That’s why he would be a fitting contender for the number four spot in this all-time XI of South Africa in tests.
#5 Jacques Kallis:
If you had to choose the greatest cricketer South Africa has ever produced, Jacques Kallis would be the obvious choice. He used to be the dream all-rounder who could do everything. From batting with a calm head for hours to bowling long spells with enough pace and swing and a perfect slip catcher, Jacques Kallis aced in all departments of Test cricket.
Kallis is the 4th highest test scorer of all-time, with 13,289 international runs scored at an average of 55.37. He has also hit 2nd most centuries in test cricket(45) after Sachin Tendulkar(51). Not just that, Kallis also has 292 test wickets in his name at a bowling average of 32.65. There has not been a better all-rounder in Test cricket than him. That’s why he gets his well-deserved place in all-time Xi of South Africa.
#6 Mark Boucher(wk):
Mark Boucher has done the glove work for the most number of tests among wicketkeepers of all time. He has also dismissed the most number of batters in Test cricket. Boucher has taken 532 catches and did 23 stumpings in his career to send back 555 batters in 147 matches.
Apart from being one of the best wicketkeepers, Boucher also has 5515 runs, five centuries, and 35 half-centuries in Tests to back his batting abilities in the lower-middle order. So he is the obvious choice to take the gloves for South Africa’s all-time XI.
#7 Shaun Pollock:
We must credit South Africa for producing some of the best all-rounders the world has seen. Among these was Shaun Pollock, one of the greatest all-rounders in test cricket. He featured in 108 test matches for South Africa in his 13-year long career.
Pollock is still the second-highest wicket-taker for South Africa in Test cricket. He has taken 421 test wickets at a bowling average of 23.11 with 16 five-wicket hauls in more than 108 tests that he played. Pollock also amassed 3781 test runs averaging 32.31 with the bat for South Africa. Being a deadly test bowler who can bat as well makes him a fruitful addition to this XI.
#8 Vernon Philander:
Vernon Philander is another South African all-rounder who was a decent batter along with being a deadly pacer. Philander played 64 tests for South Africa. But in just 64 tests, he became the 7th highest wicket-taker for South Africa.
Philander took 224 wickets in his Test career with a bowling average of 22.32. These include 13 five-wicket hauls and two ten wickets in a match. Apart from raining hell on opposition batters with the red ball, Philander also amassed 1779 test runs in his career with an average of 24.04. His addition to this XI strengthens its bowling attack and batting depth.
#9 Hugh Tayfield:
Many of you might be unaware of this South African spinner. Hugh Tayfield is the only spinner to shine among the pace legends that South Africa has produced to date. Tayfield played for South Africa from 1949 to 1960. In time he became one of the most successful spinners of South Africa.
Hugh Tayfield took 170 wickets in just 37 matches at a bowling average of 25.91. With these numbers, he still is the highest wicket-taking spinner for South Africa even today. That justifies his place in this XI as South Africa hasn’t produced a better test spinner after him.
#10 Dale Steyn:
Also known as Steyn Gun, Dale Steyn is the biggest name among the South African pacers in Test Cricket. His deadly and accurate pace bowling earned him the top spot in the ICC test rankings during his prime.
Steyn surpassed South African greats like Allan Donald, Makhaya Ntini, and Shaun Pollock to become the highest wicket-taker for South Africa in tests. He picked 439 wickets in 93 tests at a bowling average of 22.95 with 26 five-wicket hauls and five ten-wickets in a match in his career. The bowling carnage he brings with him makes him the lead pacer in this XI.
#11 Allan Donald:
Allan Donald‘s name resonates among the cricket fraternity as one of the greatest South African pacers of all time. Donald played just 72 tests for South Africa and still managed to take 330 wickets for South Africa. He ended his career with an astonishing bowling average of 22.25.
Donald was South Africa’s top pacer in his prime. He took as many as 20 five-wicket hauls and three ten-wickets in a match in his not-so-long career. His swing variations combined with Steyn’s deadly pace and Pollock-Philanders’ support make for a fearsome bowling lineup for the strongest of the batting powerhouses.
