Hashim Amla needs to be backed in his toughest phase of his career

Hashim Amla has been part of a dominant South African Team in all formats for virtually a decade. While glory has been taken by the likes of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Graeme Smith, Amla has quietly made a mark of his own.

In 113 Tests, he’s scored 8786 runs at an average of 49, with 28 hundreds. In 60 matches at home, he has made runs at close to 50 every innings, with 16 centuries. His away record has ten centuries at an average of 46, while it’s 392 runs at 78 with two centuries at neutral venues.

He is good against spin and pace. In Asia, he has scored 1819 runs at an average of 52 in 23 matches, with seven hundred and five fifties, which included his 490 runs in 2010 against India, where he remained not out for all three innings he played. He just looked unflappable.

In England in 2012, he scored 311* at Lord’s to set the tone for his team to get No.1 Test ranking. By contrast, it’s worth remembering his blockathon in India in 2015, scoring 23 runs off 207 balls on Day 4 to give his team a chance of a draw. They didn’t quite manage it, but it highlights his hunger not to lose a match.

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Though he was not too comfortable with captaincy, he did take the Proteas to No.1 in Tests with their first victory over Sri Lankan in his first assignment as captain.

In 14 matches as captain, he scored 894 runs with three hundreds at an average of 50. IUn fact, he averages above 40 against all top Test-playing, other than Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

He might be down on form at the moment, but given his contribution to South African cricket, he needs to be backed to the hilt.

With younger players coming in, the Proteas need the experience and cool head of Amla, from whom youngsters can look up to and learn the trade.