Gary Kirsten’s International career in numbers

Being one of the five from his family to play professional cricket, Gary Kirsten didn’t just end his career as the best in his family but also among the greatest ever for South Africa. Over 6000 runs in both Tests and ODI cricket, the left-handed opener was a crucial part of South Africa’s success post their readmission to cricket. The highlight of his coaching career has been the Cricket World Cup 2011 triumph with the India team as the coach; though he didn’t win one in three attempts as a player.

On occasion of Gary Kirsten’s 50th birthday, we look at his international achievements:

1 – He was the first ever player in Test history to score centuries against nine countries. He completed his set in October 2002 while playing his 84th Test match and his 149th innings.

2.086 – South Africa’s win/loss ratio in Test cricket when Kirsten was a part of the XI is the highest among the eight players who featured in 100 and more games. Across formats, the ratio is 2.074 with Kirsten in the playing XI, which is also the highest among 12 players with 250 appearances for South Africa.

6 – Number of South Africans who carried the bat in Test cricket including Gary. The left-handed opener is the only Saffer to carry the bat in Tests between 1962 and 2014. He achieved this feat in 1997 against Pakistan at Faisalabad.

7 – Number of consecutive centuries in Test cricket between 1999 and 2002 that Kristen converted to 150s. These are the 2nd most consecutive 150+ scores for any player in this format behind Virender Sehwag’s 11.

67.93 – Kirsten’s batting average of 67.93 runs in ODI finals is the highest among the ten players with 1000 and more runs. The South African made 1019 runs in 20 innings with three centuries and seven fifties. Sachin Tendulkar (54.44) is the only other player with 50+ average in ODI finals.

188* – His unbeaten 188 against UAE in 1996 World Cup in Rawalpindi is the highest individual score in an ODI for South Africa. His innings is still the highest individual ODI score in Pakistan and was the highest in World Cup as well before Chris Gayle and Martin Guptill scored double centuries in 2015 CWC.

275 – His 275 against England in 1999 at Durban is the highest individual score by any player on South African soil in Test cricket. He went past Graeme Pollock’s 274 at the same venue against Australia in 1970.

1019 – His run tally in ODI finals are the most for a South African player as the next best is 542 runs by Hansie Cronje. Kirsten has three centuries in ODI finals while all other South Africans combined to score one century in ODI finals. He has ten scores of fifty and more in finals while no other South African has more than four fifties.

(Gary Kirsten; 23rd November 1967 in Cape Town)