As the Proteas embark on a three-match ODI series against England which, realistically, they must win to have a chance of qualifying automatically for the World Cup in India in October, how they would cherish the services of the most consistent ODI batsman in the country’s history.

Amla was the fastest in history to each landmark between 2000 and 7000 runs and remains there having surpassed such luminaries as Sir Vivian Richards, Sachin Tendulkar, and Brian Lara. And for a man who was regarded at the start of his career as a ‘red ball specialist.’

“The mark of greatness is the ability to adapt and change, finding ways of doing things you couldn’t do before, and which people said you couldn’t do,” said Amla’s former teammate, Faf du Plessis once Amla’s retirement from all professional cricket had been announced.

“The mark of greatness in this game is not just about how many runs you scored or how many wickets you took, or even how you did it, but about the impact, you made on your teammates and how you affected their lives.

“Hash was the ‘Silent Warrior’ on the field because you never realized how much he was hurting you until you liked at the scoreboard and then you realized he was hurting you a lot. But off the field, he was the most influential man any of us ever played with, a figure of calm that we could only aspire to.”

It is often said of great cricketers that ‘statistics do not do them full justice.’ In the case of Hashim Amla, the statistics will always remain one source of full justice because they are extraordinary. Full justice to the impact he has had on South African cricket, and the global game, will take years to unfold.