Style, substance, resilience

Jan 10, 2017

A rickety start: Hashim Amla managed only 24 and 2 on Test debut in Kolkata in 2004. He scored just 36 runs in his next four innings in the home series against England, and was subsequently dropped from the Test squad•Deshakalyan Chowdhury/AFP

The master and the apprentice: In 2007, against New Zealand in Johannesburg, Amla combined with senior pro Jacques Kallis in a 330-run stand - the highest for any wicket in South Africa-New Zealand Tests. Kallis struck 186 and Amla an unbeaten 176 as South Africa trampled the visitors by 358 runs•Getty Images

Tour de force in Kolkata: Amla's hundreds - 114 and 123 not out - on a turner at Eden Gardens in 2010 was a tale of style, substance, and resilience. He batted for 499 minutes in the second dig, and weathered a blow to the elbow, to raise South Africa's hopes of pulling off another unlikely draw until he ran out of partners•AFP

Twin tons v Australia: In a low-scoring series in 2011, Amla hit two hundreds, including one in a successful fourth-innings run-chase in Cape Town. There was only one other century from either team in the series, from Graeme Smith•Associated Press

Captaincy bounty: Amla was rewarded for his consistency and tactical nous when he was named South Africa's Test captain in 2014, taking over from Smith•AFP

The fall: Amla then suffered a slump in form in Australia in 2016, exposed by Josh Hazlewood who nabbed him five times in five innings•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Back with a bang: Replacing a "mentally-tired" Herschelle Gibbs at No.3 in the Cape Town Test in South Africa's mid-winter in 2006, Amla struck his maiden Test hundred against New Zealand, 149 off 317 balls. His innings was instrumental in helping South Africa earn a draw after New Zealand, led by Stephen Fleming's 262, posted 593.•Touchline

An early birthday present in Chennai: Five days before his 25th birthday, Amla gifted himself a first overseas hundred - 159 off 262 balls. His chanceless, stylish effort hushed questions about his unorthodox technique and marked him as one of the key members of South Africa's batting line-up although Virender Sehwag stole his thunder with a triple-hundred•AFP

Fear the beard: After 1402 minutes and 1032 deliveries, Hashim Amla finished with 490 runs in the series in India - the second-best ever in a two-match rubber. His fan base wasn't losing numbers•Getty Images

Scaling Mt 300: Amla hit his peak when he returned to London in 2012 and became the first South African to score a triple-century in Tests, an unbeaten 311 off 529 balls. The number of minutes Amla batted (790) is the sixth highest for a batsman in an innings•Getty Images

A bitter-sweet ride at the helm: After winning his first three series' against Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and West Indies, Amla oversaw a rain-affected drawn series against Bangladesh and a 3-0 defeat in India. He resigned as captain following the second Test against England at Newlands in January 2016•Associated Press

Rallying behind the team: Amla continued to be a strong voice in the team. He brought the entire South Africa squad and support staff together to address the media before the Adelaide Test, and brushed off the ball-tampering allegations against captain Faf du Plessis as a "joke"•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

On the Lord's honours board: Following-on in the series opener in 2008 at Lord's, Amla lost his helmet but not his head and made an unbeaten 104. With excellent supporting hands from Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie, Amla saw his team snatch an unlikely draw•Getty Images

The half-century: Amla's 50th Test was against India in the Boxing Day match in Durban in 2010. He managed only 49 across two innings as India stunned the hosts by 87 runs•Getty Images

The party-spoilers: Amla raced to his 18th Test century off only 87 balls in the second innings in Perth in 2012. South Africa went onto secure their second-largest win against Australia and crashed Ricky Ponting's farewell•Getty Images

Howzat: Relinquishing captaincy seemed to have freed up Amla. A few weeks later, he hit 109 to underpin South Africa's 280-run win over England in Centurion•Associated Press