South Africa Test captain Faf du Plessis, while lavishing praise on his teammate Hashim Amla, said the veteran batsman might be the last cricketer from the national side to play 100 Tests as he feels the game is changing.
“I am going to make a big call and say Hash (Amla) is probably going to be the last guy that plays 100 Tests for South Africa because of the way that the game is changing. It’s a massive call to make. Test cricket these days…the game has evolved so much,” Faf du Plessis was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
The prolific top-order batsman will play his 100th Test for Proteas in a dead rubber against Sri Lanka in the third and final Test at Johannesburg from Thursday.
The 32-year-old du Plessis termed Amla’s feat as “special achievement”.
“Now, there’s lots of T20s, so I think the game is changing a little bit, that you won’t play for as long because there is so much more cricket,” du Plessis said.
Du Plessis believes Amla has been an impressive leader while admiring his leadership skills and batting technique which was questioned early in his career.
Amla has been the Proteas’ mainsay since the last 12-odd years after starting his career on a poor note. So far, he averages 49.45 in his 99 Tests.
“If you look at Hashim and AB (de Villiers) and Jacques (Kallis) and Graeme (Smith) and all those guys, it was a period of a lot of Test cricket that was played over a long period of time,” du Plessis added.
The triple centurion from the Proteas, Amla will join seven of his countrymen to be inducted into 100 Test club for South Africa after former all-rounder Jacques Kallis, wicket-keeper Mark Boucher, former skipper Graeme Smith, Gary Kirsten, fast-bowler Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini and AB de Villiers.
“Quinnie (Quinton de Kock) and KG (Kasigo Rabada) are possibly looking at that as youngsters, but it’s a long way into the future,” du Plessis remarked.
With 25 hundreds on his back, Amla, who remained as one of the popular face in the dressing room has struggled recently while scoring 195 runs in last five Tests.
“He has a wonderful sense of calm. When a situation becomes tricky or some of the players become a bit hot-headed, Hashim will be the guy who’ll bring balance back. He contributes so much, he starts with 30 runs before he even comes in to bat,” Proteas opener Stephen Cook said on Amla.
Cook, who played with Amla at Under-19, level stated that Amla has been an inspiration for youngsters while facing every challenge with his calm and composed attitude.
“The person behind the batsman is more important to me. I was taught you’re a human being first and then a cricketer. He epitomises that,” Cook said.
In January 2016, Amla resigned from captaincy after the second Test against England at home. He replaced Graeme Smith as the side’s skipper in 2014.