In this environment, all-rounders have become a rare breed, with more players opting to focus on a single discipline to maximize their chances of selection. Hardik Pandya, once seen as an all-format all-rounder, has restricted himself to white-ball cricket, while Ben Stokes, after a stellar career across all formats, retired from ODIs last year to concentrate on Test cricket and his role as England’s captain in the longest format.

In South Africa, the side is yet to fill the enormous void left by Jacques Kallis, widely regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders the game has ever seen. Kallis’s retirement from international cricket 11 years ago marked the end of an era, and since then, South Africa has struggled to find a player capable of offering the same balance of batting and bowling skills. The rise of the T20 format, with its emphasis on power hitting and specialized skills, has further diminished the chances of seeing another player like Kallis.

The introduction of the ‘impact player’ rule in the IPL, for instance, has created a scenario where teams are more inclined to pick specialists who can either bat or bowl, rather than players who offer both. The focus on hyper-specialization, alongside the pressures of managing player workloads, means the chances of a player excelling in all facets of the game seem slimmer than ever.

Kallis, however, doesn’t believe that the role of the all-rounder is disappearing from the game. In fact, he remains optimistic about the future of versatile players, despite the increasing trend towards specialization. He argued that while the modern demands of T20 leagues and intense schedules may have created a challenging environment for all-rounders, there will always be a place for players who can contribute in multiple departments.

“If you’ve got a talent to do both, why would you not want to do it? There’s certainly an opportunity. You are seeing how all-rounders are being sought after all around the world. Work is being put to produce all-rounders; every team wants them because of the balance that they give to the side,” Kallis said in reply to a query from Hindustan Times.

“Let’s hope there are some that come through; it’s going to be hard work yes, but in the end, it is all worth it. It is very rewarding and pleasing when you can contribute with both, bat and ball.”

Justifiably, Kallis isn’t in favour of the Impact Player rule, simply for the reason that it diminishes the role of all-rounders. When asked whether SA20, the premier franchise-based T20 league of South Africa, should follow IPL’s approach in this regard, Kallis disagreed.

“No, I don’t like the impact player rule because I think it takes away from the all-rounder. We’re trying to produce all-rounders in South Africa, and this rule diminishes that role. So no, I wouldn’t like to see it in SA20,” he said.

SA20 beginning to help South Africa like IPL

The Indian Premier League is widely credited with the growth of Indian cricket, with the league helping in nurturing a plethora of talent. Many of Team India’s current stars made their name in the IPL, including this year’s T20 World Cup winners like Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, among others.

In South Africa, Kallis believes the SA20 has slowly, but surely, started to make an impact.

“It has been a start, most definitely. Especially for the young guys, to play in front of the big crowds… it exposes the young guys to that. The IPL has done a fantastic job in taking India to what they are today, and yes, we have seen the start of what SA20 is doing to our cricket as well. Hopefully we can build these young guys to become world-class international players. Ultimately, that’s what we want,” said the South Africa great.

This year, the SA20 will see Indian presence, too, as former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik will make his debut in the league. This will be the first appearance from an Indian player in the leauge, and Kallis is excited about the prospect.

“It’s wonderful to have quality players coming especially from India. They haven’t really been allowed to play the leagues around the world. So hopefully it’s the start of many Indians coming over. People love watching India play cricket, and seen a lot of the players in the IPL, and to get to see them firsthand… I think the crowds are going to be really excited to see how his type of player comes across and does,” stated the 49-year-old Kallis.