“What he’s done in that South African batting order is he’s calmed the nerves of the side”

Image courtesy of: Zimbio

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has lavished praise on veteran South Africa batsman Hashim Amla ahead of his 100th Test.

Amla will accomplish the feat in the third Test against Sri Lanka in Johannesburg, which begins on Thursday.

The 33-year-old will become only the eighth player in history to represent the Proteas in 100 Test matches after Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Graeme Smith, Shaun Pollock, AB de Villiers, Gary Kirsten and Makhaya Ntini.

Paying tribute to Amla, Pietersen, who was born in Pietermaritzburg, said: “I think that what makes Hash such a special Test player is the fact that he is as resilient as he is and the way that he’s found his own technique and style.

“He didn’t have the best start to his international career … yet he’s come out flourishing and he’s scored so many runs for South Africa.

“What he’s done in that South African batting order is he’s calmed the nerves of the side.”

Amla, however, is under a little pressure going into the third Test as he has not made a fifty in his last 10 innings in the longest format.