Jacques H. Kallis. Photo: Provided

The news comes hot on the heels of last Friday’s announcement that the Caribbean Premier League is set to offer contracts to young cricketers from the Caribbean and ICC Americas region and will see these players rub shoulders with some of the game’s greatest players.

Each of the six CPL franchise coaches will no doubt be clamouring to secure Kallis at the official CPL 2015 draft, which is tentatively scheduled to take place in early 2015.

Speaking about joining the draft, Kallis, said, “I have really enjoyed playing in the Caribbean with The Proteas and am looking forward to hopefully returning for the CPL. It is an amazing place with amazing people and I am excited to see what team I will be playing for. CPL has produced some fantastic cricket and the fans really bring a special atmosphere so I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

CPL International Cricket Director, Tom Moody, said, “The addition of these cricketing greats to the roster for CPL 2015 is testament to the growing success of the ‘Biggest Party in Sport’ which has grown significantly since its inaugural year. And, with players of this calibre getting on board, CPL is offering young Caribbean cricketers a great opportunity to test their skills against some of the best of their generation.”

Jacques Henry Kallis is regarded as one of the greatest of the game’s all-rounders having scored more than 11,000 runs and taken 250 wickets in both one-day and Test match cricket as of 2013. In 2008, he was named Leading Cricketer in the World in the 2008 Wisden for his performances in 2007 in addition to being the “ICC Test Player of the Year” and ICC Player of the Year in 2005.